The Book of Shikon
by Drake Clawfang
Summary: An adaptation of The Ninth Gate. Inuyasha is a rare book dealer who is hired by Naraku to track down a collection of demonic texts reputed to have the ability to summon the Devil incarnate. Rated for language, violence, and mature themes.
1. Do You Believe in the Devil?

The Book of Shikon 

Chapter 1 

Do You Believe in the Devil? 

"A lot of these books aren't really anything special. A couple thousand a piece, but nothing more then 15K." Inuyasha Taisho grunted, sliding one said book out from the bookcase he was looking at and flipping through it. These clients had recently had their father pass on, and he was a fanatic collector of books. Thus they had called him as an infamous dealer to price them.

"Anything in particular we should hold onto?" The woman asked. Inuyasha nodded and set the book he had in his hands on a table, next to another four or five.

"This one here is a nice. Not rare, per say, but in excellent condition. Nothing less than 20 grand for it, or you're getting ripped." He said, tapping the book. "These other ones aren't much separate, but as a collective, very nice. 50 K for them."

"Fi-fifty thousand?" The dead man's son gasped. Inuyasha inwardly grinned. Someone must like him somewhere, he always got the morons.

"Yeah. And there's this one." He finished, pulling one last book from the shelf. He didn't really pay attention to the cover, he didn't care which one it was. Hell, he was pulling stuff from his ass, pretty much every book on the table was crap. But if you wanted to properly swindle someone, you had to make it look like you were giving them sound advice. "It's an excellent work, it was probably the crown of the collection. If you let it go for less than a hundred thousand, you're insane." The losers looked ready to faint.

"Would you like to buy any of them?" The woman asked. Inuyasha held back a snicker. Not really, he had plenty of toilet paper.

"Well." He said, lifting up a second stack of books from the floor. These ones were the good ones. "I sadly, can't afford that much, but I did pick out a couple personal indulgences I have an interest in. Now they're pretty worthless, honestly, but I like them myself. Alone they're about 2 grand each, so I'll give you fifteen thousand for them."

"Sold." The man said, shaking Inuyasha's hand. Inuyasha smiled. Score.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha whistled happily as he strolled down the hall of the apartment complex to the elevators, patting his book bag happily. The elevator opened, and he entered, passing a man who got out that he recognized as a rival dealer.

"Son a bitch Taisho!" The man growled.

"You're getting slow in your old age." Inuyasha teased. "Sorry, cleaned them out."

"You bastard, is there nothing you wouldn't stoop to?"

"For a 1st edition _Sons of Egypt_, not really." Inuyasha hit the button for the lobby, and the doors began to close. The man looked ready to explode.

"You lying, cheating asshole!"

"Peace fucker." Inuyasha replied, flipping the man off as the elevator doors closed.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha pushed open the door to _Kouga's Reads_. Kouga wasn't really a friend, when you conducted business like Inuyasha did, friends weren't something you kept. But Kouga was just as crooked as he was, so they did a lot of business.

"Oh goodie, the mutt returns, who'd you cheat today?" Kouga asked, looking up from the solitaire game he was playing on the counter. Inuyasha reached into his book bag and tossed the _Sons of Egypt_ onto Kouga's cards. "1st edition, you bastard." Kouga muttered, opening the cover. "You are a jackass, you know that?"

"Told every day." Inuyasha confirmed. "Bought for less than 5 grand, yours for sixty thousand."

"It's worth 50 Inuyasha, you not ripping me off as much as you usually do. I'm flattered and annoyed at the same time." Kouga growled, pulling a checkbook from under the counter. "Sold. By the way, you got a call, Naraku's looking for you." Inuyasha perked up and frowned. Onigumo Naraku was an infamous collector in the city, but Inuyasha himself had never done business with him.

"What he want?" Inuyasha replied, stowing the other books he had bought behind the counter.

"Don't know, he said to head to his office." Kouga replied.

- - - - - - - - - -

Naraku made the most of his money via investments in the stock market, but he also gave lectures and wrote himself. He had bought a three-story complex to accommodate it all. The lower complex housed a lecture hall, the middle level was Naraku's home and office. The top floor, so Inuyasha had heard, was his library. It had just turned over to night outside as Inuyasha entered the complex.

"Excuse me." Inuyasha said, strolling to the receptionist. "I'm Inuyasha Taisho, Naraku is expecting me." The receptionist nodded.

"He is, but he's giving a lecture right now, if you'd like to go in and wait." Inuyasha nodded and walked past her, pushing open the door to the lecture hall. He sat down at a vacant seat at the back and pretended to listen to Naraku at the front of the hall.

"In the Bible, Satan is classified as Lucifer, a fallen angel who was cast from heaven for rebelling against God. A third of the angels rallied to him and so were cast out with him. His angelic name of Lucifer means 'light bearer', and it is commonly thought Lucifer was an archangel, although such things vary from believer to believer. In Christianity, as in most other depictions, Satan is the embodiment of impurity and evil, but not necessarily the source or cause of it, just the avatar of it." Naraku said, walking along the stage. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and looked around the room. Most of the people were taking notes or watching Naraku. Except one. Inuyasha stared at a young woman who was staring back at him. She wasn't bad on the eyes, blue eyes, black hair. She wore a knee-length, dark green skirt and a black jacket. From this angle, Inuyasha couldn't see much else about her. She stared at him for a few more moments before turning back to Naraku.

"Islams call Satan 'Iblis'. Iblis was jealous of Allah, and in a fit of rage proclaimed so, and was cast from His grace for it." Naraku continued. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned back, waiting for Naraku's lecture to finish.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Wake up, Mr. Taisho." A foot kicked his, and Inuyasha blinked sleepily to see Naraku standing over him.

"The lecture over?" He yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, for ten minutes now. I'm flattered you found it so transfixing." Naraku replied, clearly annoyed but also a little amused. Inuyasha stretched his arms out.

"Did I snore?"

"Not that I noticed. Nice of you to ask though." Naraku said. "Come with me." Naraku walked to the front of the hall, and Inuyasha grabbed his book bag and followed. Naraku swiped a card key through a reader next to a steel door, and his private elevator opened. Inuyasha followed him inside as Naraku hit the F3 button.

"Tell me Inuyasha, what do you know about Midoriko?" Naraku asked as the elevator lurched upwards. Inuyasha shrugged.

"15th century Satanist or something. Burned at the stake for it, along with pretty much all her work on the Devil." He muttered.

"Not all her work. A few things survived, carried off by loyalists." Naraku corrected.

"Yeah, a book or something, _The Shikon-no-Tama_." Inuyasha said. "What's that have to do with me?" The elevator opened, and Naraku led Inuyasha to his library. The shelves were filled with rare books, and all of the shelves were covered with glass and locked at the sides. Naraku waved a hand at the display case at the back of the room. It was a black leather-bound book, not too thick but enough to warrant serious reading. The symbol of a pink jewel glowed on the cover.

"Behold, mint condition." Naraku said, pulling a keyring from his pocket and unlocking the three locks on the glass case. He opened it and withdrew the book. "The culmination of Midoriko's research on the Devil, _The Shikon-no-Tama_, one of only 4 copies remaining in the entire world. Originally there were many but they were burned, these four copies carried into the night by Midoriko's illegitimate daughter. Its pages are rumored to contain the secret to the power of Satan himself, the power to summon him. And I own a copy. The book is based on the Japanese Shinto belief that the four souls of Courage, Love, Friendship and Wisdom form a composite whole called Naobi. This book dictates that when the proper ritual is performed one can harness the powers of the four souls to become a Naobi, a person of power so great they are nearly the equal of the Devil himself and can channel his energies through themselves. Such powers include immortality, invincibility, levitation, super-human strength, teleportation, etc. Such rituals have been performed by many throughout history, but there is no record of them ever succeeding."

"Fascinating." Inuyasha said. "So what?" Naraku smiled.

"Inuyasha…do you believe in the Devil?" Inuyasha shrugged.

"I believe in money and the people who supply it to me."

"Yes, I know, that's why I hired you. I respect men whose loyalties can be bought for hard cash." Naraku replied. "I want you to take this." He held the book out to Inuyasha. "Research it. There's a problem with it." Inuyasha took the book and looked down at it.

"What, you tried to summon the Devil with it and it didn't work?" Inuyasha laughed. Naraku didn't.

"I want you to track down the other three copies. I know their last owners, you can start there, they should still have them. They live in Italy, France and England. I want you to take my book and compare it to theirs to ensure the authenticity of my book."

"Maybe you got swindled when you bought it." Inuyasha suggested. "If you think it's a fake…"

"I bought it from Musou Fletcher, recently deceased. He is succeeded in life by his wife, Kikyo, and I have no desire to speak with her, but if you wish then be my guest. Before her I do not know the owner." Naraku said. "As I was saying, compare the other three books to mine. Find out which, if any, are authentic. If all four copies are forgeries then you will return my book and your job is complete. If, however, one copy is genuine then you will acquire it for me by any means necessary."

"Any means? That sounds illegal." Inuyasha accused.

"Another reason why I hired you." Naraku smirked. "I know for a fact you don't care much for fair and legal game, do you?"

"Not really, like I said before I do what I can to get money." Inuyasha said. He looked the book in his hands over and shrugged. "Feels real." He flipped the pages. "Sounds real." He opened to a random page. "Text looks real. Thing seems legit."

"But I have reasons to believe it is not." Naraku said. "This is to pay for your travel expenses." He held out a credit card, which Inuyasha slipped into his pocket. "And this is your pay when you complete your work _and_ return my book to me." He flashed a check, and Inuyasha whistled.

"There's a lot of zeros in that check." He warned,

"And there's a lot of power in these books, a fair trade." Naraku explained. "Do we have a deal, Mr. Taisho?" Inuyasha grinned and shook Naraku's hand.

"We have a deal, Naraku." He confirmed.


	2. Women Troubles

The Book of Shikon

**Note that the three sub-souls mentioned here are not real parts of the Shinto beliefs.**

**Oh, and this is a not a 'clean' chapter posted for the sake of FF rulings. There is no lemon version on another site, just so you know.**

Chapter 2

Women Troubles

"My dear God."

"Devil, actually." Inuyasha corrected. Kouga shook his head in disbelief as he flipped through _The Shikon-no-Tama_

****"So Naraku actually owns a copy of one of the rarest books in the world…why the hell did he trust you with it?" Kouga asked.

"He wants me to research the book, his copy and the other three remaining ones. Find out if any are authentic and if his is a fake." Inuyasha explained.

"Like shit, if this is a fake I'm amazed." Kouga whispered, flipping a page. The page showed a man hanging from a castle wall by his left leg, his other leg crossed over his other with his bound wrists hanging to scrape the ground. A thin stream of blood trickled from his mouth. "Stunning…and kinda creepy." Kouga admitted.

"Anyway, I'm going to be doing some research and I want to stash it here until I head for Europe." Inuyasha said. Kouga nodded.

"Say no more." He said. He turned around and opened the cabinet behind him. He took the book and slipped it up into a hidden compartment in the top of the shelf and slid a trap door there closed. "I'll die before someone takes it." He assured him.

"Thanks." Inuyasha said, heading out the door.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha flipped the book again and read a few paragraphs. The book was a biography of Midoriko, detailing all her work in Satanism and her various writings. Naturally as the only work that survived its writer, _The Shikon-no-Tama _ was pivotal to understanding the woman. So far the book had touched on the book's engravings of supposed sketches by Midoriko herself, detailing the journey one must take to gain the powers of the Four Souls. There were 16 engravings, one for each Soul, and three other qualities pertaining to that soul. Courage consisted of Integrity, Morality and Tenacity, Love was made up of Lust, Beauty and Purity, Friendship of Respect, Loyalty and Trust, and Wisdom consisted of Will, Knowledge and Insight.

Inuyasha sighed and closed the book, rubbing his eyes and walking back to the shelf to replace the book. He put it up to its slot and did a double take. He pulled the book back and stared. The book on the other side of the shelf was gone, providing a clear look through to the pair of grey-blue eyes on the other side. The eyes stared as a book came up to slide onto the shelf. Inuyasha dashed to the end of the shelf and craned his head over the edge. The aisle was empty. Inuyasha peeked back down his own aisle and walked to the one on the other side. Empty. He shook his head in frustration and walked back to his seat. He shoved his notebook into his pocket and hefted his book bag onto his shoulder, grabbing his jacket and turning to slip it on. As he stood up and turned around, something caught his eye. He spun around and looked up to see a flash of green and black vanish behind a support pillar on the balcony above.

"I'm losing my mind." Inuyasha groaned, rubbing hire temples. He walked out of the library and hailed a taxi, unaware of the blue eyes watching him from the library window.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Mistress is this way." The maid said, leading Inuyasha through the mansion he was currently visiting. It was the afternoon the next day, and he was walking down the hall of the home of the late Musou Fletcher, eccentric book collector. The maid opened the door to the study, and Inuyasha entered. A woman in a black miniskirt and a white blouse was inside, staring out the window with a cigarette between her slim fingers.

"Kikyo Fletcher?" Inuyasha asked. The woman turned and nodded. "Inuyasha Taisho, we spoke last night." He said, offering a hand.

"Hello, welcome." Kikyo said, shaking it. "Please, sit down." Inuyasha sat down on a sofa as Kikyo leaned back in a wing-back and crossed her legs. "What can I do for you?" Kikyo asked, taking a puff of her cigarette.

"I was wondering what you can tell me about a book your husband recently sold, _The Shikon-no-Tama._" Inuyasha said. Kikyo frowned.

"I'm sorry Mr. Taisho, but my husband did not sell the book, although it went missing shortly before his death a few weeks ago."

"I'm afraid he did sell it, to my employer whose name will remain secret for now." Inuyasha said. "I was wondering what you could tell me about the book and your husband. Were you two close?" Kikyo burst out laughing.

"Heavens no. It was a marriage of convenience, really. I needed money, he wanted sex." She scoffed.

"So your marriage was based on prostitution?"

"All sex is based on prostitution, how do you think women keep getting their way?" Kikyo muttered, rolling her eyes as if it should be obvious. "Men will do anything you want if you spread your legs for them. Musou liked to keep me happy so he bought me whatever I desired. _The Shikon-no-Tama_ was more mine than his."

"When did he acquire the book?"

"Several years ago in Portugal, we bought it from a young man named Miroku Houshi. I wanted it, Musou didn't give a crap. I'm surprised he would keep its sale a secret from me." Kikyo replied. "To be honest, I'm surprised he would hang himself like that." She looked up, and Inuyasha followed her gaze. The ceiling lamp was dislodged from its setting and hung by a few wires and screws. "He hung himself in the night several weeks ago. Before hand he had barricaded himself in here, didn't emerge for anything and never opened the door except to take his meals from the maid. That day, the door was open, and he was hanging from the lamp. Why he would kill himself, I don't know." Kikyo sighed.

"Do you know anything of the other owners of the books?" Inuyasha asked. Kikyo shrugged.

"Kaede Myko lives in Italy, I've met her in passing years ago but haven't seen her recently. I've heard the other owners live in Europe but I don't know where." Inuyasha nodded.

"Do you have any idea of what your husband may have been doing the last week when he was alone? Maybe…using the book for some sort of ritual?" He asked. Kikyo giggled.

"Mr. Taisho, please. Musou was eccentric his whole life, but even I can't see him in his study drawing a pentagram on the floor or whatever and trying to raise the dead."

"Satan, Mrs. Fletcher. Not the dead." Inuyasha corrected. "The book is supposed to raise the Devil." Kikyo puffed her cigarette and raised an eyebrow.

"Really? You don't say." She murmured.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha pulled a bottle of brandy from his apartment fridge and a glass from the cupboard. He walked into his living room and placed the items on the coffee table there beside his book bag and sat down on his sofa, popping the cap of the wine. His apartment door thudded, and he sighed, getting up and opening it.

"Good evening, Mr. Taisho." Kikyo said curtly, walking past him. Inuyasha glared at her back as he closed the door. Kikyo sat down on the sofa and waved for him to follow suit. Inuyasha sat on the opposite end and eyed her warily.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"My book." Kikyo said.

"Well to be fair its not yours anymore…"

"I want it back. I'll pay." Kikyo interrupted. Inuyasha shrugged.

"It isn't mine to sell Mrs. Fletcher."

"You work for money?"

"What else is there?"

"I have lots of money."

"Good for you, but they say it can't buy happiness."

"They just say that because they're poor. Besides, to Hell with happiness, its my book I'm trying to buy." Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.

"How do I know I can trust you? For all you know you've got a 9mm strapped to her leg and plan to shoot me the second I get you the book." He accused. Kikyo smiled and reached down to the bottom on her skirt, pulling it up around her thigh.

"See any gun?" She whispered with a smirk. Inuyasha shrugged and stood up, walking into the kitchen.

"Brandy?" He called, bringing in a glass.

"That would be lovely." Kikyo replied, staring at him as he sat down opposite her again and leaned against the arm, stretching his legs out. Inuyasha poured himself a glass and sipped it as he poured one for Kikyo, holding it out to her. Kikyo leaned towards to take the glass, her hand landing between his legs for leverage. Kikyo took the glass in her hand absent-mindedly, looking down with a sly smile. A long nail traced up the inside of Inuyasha's thigh, before deliberately running along the apex. Kikyo placed her drink down on the table and leaned over Inuyasha, plunking his glass from his hand and placing it beside her.

She lowered her head and slid her tongue along the rim of his mouth, staring into his eyes. The pink appendage slid between his lips, her teeth nipping them. Inuyasha slowly responded, welcoming her inside as his hands slid up the back of her legs. Kikyo dug her nails into the back of his neck and pulled them to the floor. Inuyasha's hand brushed the curve of her ass, pushing her skirt up to reveal a set of Japanese _kanji_, four symbols tattooed down the back of her left leg. Kikyo pushed his hand down and brought it up to her shoulder, the tattoo vanishing back under her skirt.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kikyo felt around the table over her head and grabbed Inuyasha's book bag, pulling it down and emptying the contents on the carpet. A few notebooks, writing tools and a couple of pocket novels fell out. She growled and sat up to glare at Inuyasha over her shoulder as he groaned and rubbed his face.

"Where is it?" She hissed. Inuyasha blinked innocently.

"Where's what?" He asked. Kikyo grabbed his chin and pulled him up, digging her nails into his chin.

"Don't fuck with me!" She snarled. Inuyasha grinned.

"Too late." He snickered. Kikyo brought her other hand up to smack him across the face, raking her nails across his cheek and drawing blood. Inuyasha shoved her to the floor and grabbed the phone. He had dialed a few numbers before Kikyo leapt onto his back and wrapped her hands around his neck. Inuyasha spun around, trying to dislodge her as he grabbed her wrists and tried to pry her hands off him. Kikyo sneered and brought back her arm to clamp her teeth down on the back of his hand. Inuyasha out a cry and dipped forward, pitching Kikyo overhead to land on the carpet with a thud. Inuyasha stumbled back, clutching his now-bleeding hand. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see Kikyo bring up the half-empty bottle of brandy on the table.

The bottle smashed against the back of Inuyasha's head, sending glass and brandy across his face and hair. Inuyasha's apartment turned black as he slumped to the floor, hitting with a heavy thud.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha finished dialing and waited, grimacing and pushing the icepack on the back of his head farther into his hair, pulling a few of the strands back to search for any blood among the white hair. He wasn't bleeding that he could tell, but shit if he wasn't going to be seeing double for a few hours. At least he was in better shape than his apartment. When he had come to Kikyo was gone and his apartment was ransacked, every drawer and cupboard flung open. Hell, the crazy bitch had even slashed up bed and pillows. The answering machine picked up.

"_Kouga's Reads, high quality and high quantity. Leave a message._" Inuyasha frowned and looked at the clock. It was just after 2 am, Kouga should still be at the store, hell, he lived in the apartment above it.

"Kouga, its Inuyasha. Pick up." He said. He waited. "Kouga, pick up, it's important." He repeated. "Kouga, pick up the phone."

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha sat in his cab across the street from Kouga's store. Kouga had boarded the windows up with cardboard a long time ago, so he couldn't see what was inside. The light was on that he could see, and he hadn't seen anyone go in or come out in the ten minutes he had been there.

"Sir, the meter is running." The driver said, a polite Hispanic man. Inuyasha nodded and opened his door.

"Stay here and don't take my stuff. I'll be back in a few minutes and I want to go to the airport." He ordered. The driver nodded.

"No prob." He waved. Inuyasha walked across the street and grabbed the handle of Kouga's door, pulling it open and entering. The door closed behind him, and Inuyasha let out a low whistle. Kouga's store wasn't looking much better than his apartment. Every shelf had had its books thrown on the floor, and Kouga's computer lay on top, the screen shattered. Inuyasha gingerly stepped over the mess and behind the counter, opening the door that led up to Kouga's apartment.

"Kouga?" He called, opening the door. He looked up the staircase there, and felt his blood run cold. Kouga awaited him at the top, staring blankly. His left leg was hanging from the balcony over the stairs, his right leg crossed over it. His wrists were bound with the mouse cord for his computer, his wrists almost scraping the top step. Blood trickled from the side of his mouth. Inuyasha stared into the dead eyes for a moment before stepping back and shutting the door. He opened the cupboard behind the counter and felt the top of it, pushing back the trap door. He let out a sigh of relief and pulled down _The Shikon-no-Tama_. He flipped open the pages to make sure it was the real thing, and stopped at a certain page. He recognized it from Midoriko's biography, it was one of the 16 engravings. The man on the engraving there was hanging from the wall of a castle by his left leg, his wrists bound. Inuyasha stared for a moment, his eyes wide.

"Son of a…bitch." He whispered.


	3. Venture Too Far

The Book of Shikon

Chapter 3

Venture Too Far…

"Onigumo Naraku, please." Inuyasha said into the payphone, casting a glance back to Kouga's store.

"I'm sorry but he's busy right now, if you'd like I can-."

"Tell him Inuyasha wants to talk about the book." Inuyasha growled. The receptionist sighed.

"I'll see if he'll talk to you." She replied. Inuyasha heard a click as he was put on hold. He looked back at the store again. Kouga was a bit of a recluse, so if the cops got word he was dead they'd start with his customers, one of which was him.

"Mr. Taisho, earlier than I expected. What do you want?" Naraku asked, coming on the line.

"Out." Inuyasha said. "I quit. I'll bring your book and bank card back tonight." Naraku was silent for a moment.

"I must say, I'm very disappointed Mr. Taisho. I had high hopes for your performance. But apparently you can't even follow your own rules."

"Well someone else broke them first. Kouga's dead." Inuyasha snapped.

"The book dealer?" Naraku asked, seemingly unconcerned.

"Yeah, hanged in the stairwell, presumably by some psycho bitch who, by the way, is the widow of the guy you bought the book from first and she wants it back. Excuse me if I don't wanna be part of a murder scandal." Inuyasha said.

"Mr. Taisho, I understand your distress but you must have known this would be dangerous. Danger is always something people come across, if you find yourself being stalked I hardly see why it should impact our deal. Now, continue your investigation as scheduled…

"But." Inuyasha started.

"And I'll add another zero to your paycheck." Naraku finished. Inuyasha was silent. "That's a good boy. Run along now, you have a job to do."

"Now hold on, I'm not just going to roll over for cash here!" Inuyasha protested.

_"Flight 391 is now boarding bound for-."_ Inuyasha frowned.

"Are you at an airport? Naraku? Hey, Naraku!" Inuyasha stopped as he heard the dial tone. He sighed and hung up, trudging back to his taxi.

"Airport?" The driver asked.

"Yeah, I'm headed to Portugal." Inuyasha nodded.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha walked down the alley of a derelict street, turning down a back alley. He eyed a large metal scaffold warily as he walked past it to a small door. Inside was a small, dark bookstore. The floors and shelves were caked with dust, but the books looked brand new. Inuyasha was impressed, whoever owned the place took care of their stock.

"Can I help?" Inuyasha turned to his left as a middle-aged man descended the stairs to the second floor, eyeing him.

"Yes, I'm Inuyasha Taisho, I understand Miroku Houshi lives here?"

"I do, yes. What can I do for you, Mr. Taisho?" Miroku asked, sitting down at a nearby desk. Inuyasha reached into his book bag.

"I was wondering what you could tell me about this book." He said, handing _The Shikon-no-Tama_ to Miroku. Miroku's eyes widened.

"_The Shikon-no-Tama_, 15th century, Midoriko Takahashi." Miroku and Inuyasha looked up as a woman emerged from the shelves, dusting the book shelves.

"My wife, Sango. Business partner too." Miroku introduced. Inuyasha shook Sango's hand.

"How do you do?" He said. Sango nodded and looked back at the book.

"This is the Fletcher copy." She mused aloud. "I'm amazed she let it go."

"She?" Inuyasha asked.

"Kikyo, Fletcher's wife." Miroku explained. "She came here about a decade ago and asked for this specific book. She knew we had it and refused to leave until we let her buy it. Musou couldn't give less of a damn about it. We didn't want to sell to a woman like her, but she made us an offer that, if you'll forgive the expression, we couldn't refuse."

"Very nice buy, lots of money. I would have felt bad for ripping her off, if she wasn't such a bitch." Sango muttered. "So Musou sold it to you?"

"No, it belongs to my client, Onigumo Naraku." Miroku and Sango nodded knowingly.

"Ah, Naraku. No wonder he bought it, I was wondering how long it would take him to get his hands on one." Miroku smiled.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.

"Naraku is a profound studier of many Satanic texts, Mr. Taisho. Surely if you're working for him you noticed that more than half the books he owns are related to the Devil." Sango scolded. "No doubt this piece that details the Prince of Darkness' summoning is his crown jewel. Why did he trust you with it?"

"He wants me to authenticate it. I cam to ask if it was possible this book was a forgery." Sango and Miroku stared at him as if he had just grown a tail and horns.

"You must be new to the book dealing business if you think this could be a forgery!" Sango scoffed. "Look at this book. The pages, the writings, the engravings. There's no way someone could forge this book, it would be next to impossible."

"_Next to_, but not entirely." Inuyasha pointed out. Miroku sighed and looked the book over.

"Well, I suppose, if you had the time and money, you could do it. But it would be impractical, any collector worth his weight in knowledge would be able to spot a cheap forgery right off the bat, and a masterful forgery would be too expensive to be profitable. You need the right inks, the paper, to copy every line of text letter by letter, it would be painstaking. Besides, we owned this book for 20 years before we sold to Fletcher, we studied it extensively before then and never got any indication it would a fake." Inuyasha nodded.

"Okay, fair enough." He said. "Not a fake, got it. Do you know who owns the other copies?"

"Yes, I've heard Sesshomaru…something with T, I can't recall his last name, owns a copy in England. Baroness Kaede Myko lives in Italy, but she may have passed on by now. And in France, too, Bankotsu Shinchinintai. 4 copies scattered around the world for 500 years, remarkable." Miroku said.

"And the engravings. I understand there are 16." Inuyasha continued.

"Yes, 1 for each soul and 3 for each of the qualities that soul is made up of." Sango agreed.

"Well, beyond that little riddle, each engraving seems to have some sort of…underlying significance." Inuyasha explained.

"Oh, of course, many books like this do." Miroku nodded. "For example, see here, the second engraving." Miroku opened the book and turned it to face Inuyasha. It was a stone bridge over a lake with a horse-back knight preparing to ride across it. However, in the clouds above the bridge a sinister-looking creature was aiming a bow and arrow down at the knight. "See this, very interesting riddle here. The inscription on this engraving reads 'venture too far, and danger will descend from above'." Miroku chuckled slightly. "This work contains many philosophical sayings and teachings for those who look for them, among other things."

"Other things?" Inuyasha frowned. "Like what?"

"The engravings, you must have noticed by now." Sango said. "Of the 16 engravings, the history books and biographies will tell you Midoriko signed each of them. In reality, no. I can't speak for the other 3 copies, but in this one, only 12 of the 16 are signed by Midoriko Takahashi, abbreviated M.T."

"And the other four?" He continued. Sango tapped the page.

"See for yourself." She advised. Miroku pulled a magnifying glass from his pocket and held it over the page. Inuyasha knelt down. "The rock there, at the left. See it?" Inuyasha nodded and tried to make out the initials on the page.

"L…C, F." He read. "Who's L.C.F.?" Miroku smiled.

"Think about it." He told him. Inuyasha looked up, and Naraku's lecture came back to him.

"Lucifer." He sighed. Miroku and Sango shared a grin.

"Very good." Sango chuckled.

"Midoriko wrote this book as a collaboration with the Prince of Darkness, and burned so that it could live, so that the Devil's work may live on, disguised at hers." Miroku explained. Inuyasha laughed.

"You can't honestly believe that." He scoffed.

"There are many things in this world that people laugh at, write off as nonsense. Magic and the supernatural are such things. But 500 years ago, it would be the computer and the cell-phone that people would laugh at, the magical they would believe in." Sango lectured. "Alive today is the signature and the words of the Devil himself, in this book, and Midoriko let herself die to save it."

"Even the pits of Hell have their heroic martyrs." Miroku smiled.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha walked out of the store and closed it behind him. They always said the line between genius and madness was razor-thin. The Houshis had not done a thing to disprove it. He walked past the metal scaffold again, frowning as he tried to think of what the L.C.F initials could mean, when he heard a metal clang. He froze and looked up. The scaffold creaked, and the thing began to sway. Inuyasha tore off running down the alley as the metal came crashing down behind him. He dove to the dirt, coughing out dust as the scaffold collapsed. He looked behind him at the pile of metal and shook his head. Miroku's words came back to him.

_"Venture too far…" _The book dealer's voice echoed. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"What a load of bullshit." He growled, walking out of the alley.

- - - - - - - - - -

That night, Inuyasha leaned back in his chair aboard a high-speed train destined for France, and Bankotsu. His stomach growled, and he got up, hefting his book bag onto his shoulder. Inuyasha walked to the door of the car and opened it, walking back to the dining car. He began to walk down the aisle of the train, and stopped. He glared and marched forward, stopping behind a young woman gazing out the window at the passing trees.

"I know you." He accused. The woman in the black jacket and green skirt turned her slightly.

"Do you?" She replied.

"You stalking me?" Inuyasha asked. The woman shrugged.

"If you say so." She replied, smiling slightly. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and her smile grew.

"You have a name?"

"Yes." The woman chuckled. Inuyasha waited for a moment, but she just turned back to the window. To hell with it.

"Whatever. Tell Naraku I'm doing my best." He called, walking away.

"Naraku?" The woman asked.

"Like you don't know." Inuyasha growled, leaving the car. The woman watched him leave with a small smile.


	4. Seeing Double?

The Book of Shikon

Chapter 4

Seeing…Double?

Inuyasha waked down the small sidestreet, the one side lined with a tall hedge. Finally, he reached the end of the hedges and found large iron gate. Beyond the gate spawned a large yard and a medium-sized house. Inuyasha hit a buzzer on one of the stone pillars on the side of the gate.

"Who is it?" The voice crackled.

"Inuyasha Taisho, I'm here to see Bankotsu Shinchinintai." Inuyasha said. The gates buzzed, and Inuyasha pushed them open, walking down the walkway to the mansion door. A man with a receding hairline and graying hair opened it as he approached.

"Welcome to my humble home." He chuckled, shaking Inuyasha's hand. "I am Bankotsu." Inuyasha nodded.

"Yes, I'm here to view your book." Inuyasha reminded.

"Of course, come in." Bankotsu walked inside, Inuyasha following. The rooms of the house were largely empty, a few black and brown marks on the walls. The house was bare, except for a few sparse chairs and tables here and there. "Not quite what you were expecting, I presume?" Bankotsu asked.

"When I heard your collection was extensive, no, not quite what I pictured." Inuyasha admitted.

"I know, there was a fire a few months ago, much was lost. The few pieces of my collection I managed to pull from the flames are in here." Bankotsu led Inuyasha into another room that, if the shelves were any indication, had been the library, but now they were bare. A few rows of books were on the carpet.

"Behold, my collection." Bankotsu said. "It has seen better days and isn't going to make any records for showmanship. But I dust and air them out every day, I take care of them, as best I can." Inuyasha nodded. "This is the one you want." Bankotsu knelt down and slipped out a book, holding it out to Inuyasha. Inuyasha took it and nodded.

"Why exactly are you here, Mr. Taisho?" He asked.

"My client owns a copy of the book, Onigumo Naraku. I was asked to authenticate his copy against the other three." Inuyasha explained.

"Ah, so he was the Fletcher buyer. I heard a few days ago it was sold before Musou killed himself. I never imagined Naraku would be the one though." Bankotsu mused. "Strange that you're supposed to authenticate his book versus the others if you don't have his to…" Bankotsu trailed off as Inuyasha gave him a look. "You have it here?" Bankotsu asked, his eyes lighting up. Inuyasha reached into his book bag and withdrew the infamous book. Bankotsu took it and walked over to a table, laying the two books next to each other.

"Marvelous, look at it." He whispered, running a finger down the spine of his book. "If not for the small burn mark on the top of my book, identical." Bankotsu opened them up to the first engraving and chuckled. "Two of the only remaining copies, reunited after 500 years, superb."

"Not something that happens a lot huh?" Inuyasha asked. Bankotsu shook his head and turned the books to another page.

"And here, Midoriko forgot to capitalize the 'T' here." He pointed to the start of a paragraph. "Same in both books, remarkable." He shook his head and smiled.

"I was wondering if I could examine your book in detail, and possibly buy it, based on what I find." Inuyasha continued. Bankotsu slammed both books shut and sighed.

"Look all you like, it is yours to research. But I will not sell, my books are all I have left, they mean more to me than my own life." He said. Inuyasha nodded, and Bankotsu handed him the books. "If you need me, I will be by the fire." Bankotsu left the room, and Inuyasha pulled out a chair and sat down.

- - - - - - - - - -

Several hours later, it was growing dark outside and Inuyasha was still comparing the books. Every bit of text was the same that he could see, same bindings, paper, ink. He had just moved onto the engravings, and opened the books to the first one, the man hung from the castle wall. Inuyasha suppressed a shudder at the thought of Kouga's corpse and looked the engravings over. Identical, just like the rest of them. He turned the page and stopped. He quickly flipped back and looked again, his gaze darting and forth between the two books.

"No way…" He whispered. In Naraku's book, the man hung from the castle by his left leg with his right crossed over the thigh. But in Bankotsu's book, the man was hanging by the _right_ leg, with the left crossed. "I'll be damned…" Inuyasha whispered. He dug a magnifying glass from his bag and peered the pages over. There, on a stone in the wall, just under the man's head. Naraku's copy was signed 'M.T.'. But Bankotsu's…

"L.C.F." Inuyasha muttered, looking up. "It can't be." He flipped to the next engraving, the knight crossing the bridge. Naraku's version had the knight's visor down, covering his head. Bankotsu's knight didn't. Naraku's knight was protected, Bankotsu's wasn't. Inuyasha already remembered that this engraving was L.C.F. in Naraku's book. Inuyasha looked down at Bankotsu's copy. M.T.

"I don't believe it." Inuyasha shook his head in disbelief.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha closed the door to Bankotsu's house. It was almost midnight, and he had a long walk back to the hotel. He had made a chart in his notebook on the L.C.F. initials. In total there were 4 engravings in Bankotsu's book signed L.C.F., that were signed M.T. in Naraku's, and vise-versa.

Inuyasha opened the gate and stepped outside, looking around. The right side of the road was blocked by a black car. Inuyasha shrugged and walked down the left way. He had gotten a few steps when he heard a roar. He spun around the black car roared to life, screeching towards him. Inuyasha jumped back and plastered himself to the hedge, the car barely missing him. Inuyasha would swear he felt the side-mirror brush his jacket. The car stopped, and Inuyasha glared at it. The driver's door opened, and a woman stepped out. She had long white hair and dark blue eyes, and wore a dark suit. Inuyasha stared at her as she began to walk towards him.

There was a squeal of tires, and Inuyasha spun around. A motorcycle skidded to a halt a few feet behind him. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the all-too familiar green skirt and black jacket. He darted his eyes back and forth, and the white-haired woman turned and walked back to her car, entering and driving away. The motorcycle screeched and turned to follow, black hair streaming out behind it. Inuyasha just stared.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was nearly midnight, and Inuyasha was sitting in the bar of the hotel he was staying at, sipping and brandy and musing over the engravings. The L.C.F. enigma continued. Between Naraku and Bankotsu's copies, there were 8 L.C.F. initialed engravings, and each of them was different. Each one had one of the 4 Soul engravings with the L.C.F., and three of the other 12 as well. It was all too orderly to be random, something was up. Inuyasha swallowed the rest of his drink and stood up, walking to the elevators to go up to his room. He passed through the lounge on his way, and stopped. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he turned around and sat down in a wingback chair, staring at the woman sitting across from him.

"You again." He growled. The woman in the green skirt smiled.

"You stalking me?" She asked.

"That's my question." Inuyasha replied. "Among others. You never told me your name before."

"You never asked me, you just asked if I had one." The woman said with a smile. "You should be more specific."

"Well I'm asking now." Inuyasha snapped. The woman didn't even blink.

"Kagome." She supplied. "And I suppose you have a name yourself?"

"Inuyasha." He said. "It means dog demon in Japanese."

"Funny, you don't look Japanese. Odd name." Kagome chuckled. Inuyasha glared.

"How'd you get here, you never told me you were coming to here."

"Neither did you." Kagome challenged. "I travel a lot, I don't keep track of my destinations that much."

"Ever travel by motorcycle?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome shrugged. Ever since he had sat down, Kagome had had that strange half-smile on her face. It was starting to get creepy.

"You have a visitor." She said, looking up. Inuyasha turned to see the desk clerk standing beside his chair.

"I'm sorry sir, you have a phone call form a Mr. Naraku." The clerk said. Inuyasha nodded.

"On my way. You." He said, pointing at Kagome. "You stay here, don't move."

"If you say so." Kagome replied. Inuyasha followed the desk clerk to the front desk and picked up the receiver.

"Mr. Taisho. Hello." Naraku said.

"How did you find me?" Inuyasha asked.

"Not important. Did you examine the Shinchinintai copy?" Naraku countered.

"Yeah, I did. Both books have a little…um…" Inuyasha looked around. "I'm in the lobby and can't talk here. Where are you, I'll call you back in my room."

"Have the call transferred, I'll wait." Naraku said. Inuyasha shrugged and looked up.

"Excuse me." The desk clerk looked up. "Transfer this call to room 134." He asked.

"Of course sir." The clerk said, taking the receiver. Inuyasha headed back to the lounge, and sighed when he saw the empty chairs.

"Figures." He muttered. Kagome was gone.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha pushed open the door to his room, and the phone's ringing greeted him. He locked the door and walked to the bed, sitting down and picking up the receiver.

"Alright, what do you have for me?" Naraku asked.

"Well I examined both copies. They're identical, same text, same paper, even the same spelling errors. Except there are a few differences."

"Like what?" Naraku asked.

"The engravings are different. Not all of them, but some of them. Guys hanging by different legs, doors open in one copy, bricked up in the other, armor changes. And the ones that differ…"

"Yes…" Naraku urged.. "Yes, go on."

"The ones that differ, aren't signed M.T. They're signed L.C.F." Inuyasha explained, omitting the detail of what the three letters were supposed to stand for. Naraku was silent for several seconds. Inuyasha frowned. "You there?"

"L.C.F…I knew it." Naraku whispered.

"Where are you?" Inuyasha asked, suddenly confused. He could swear he heard a crowd in the background.

"Get me that book Mr. Taisho. Pay whatever he wants, no matter how much, just get me that book." Naraku ordered.

"The book mean more to Bankotsu than his own life, he said so himself." Inuyasha replied. Naraku chuckled.

"Kukuku…did he now?" He asked. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.

"Where are you?" He repeated.

This time, he was only half-surprised to be answered by the hum of the dial tone.


	5. To England

The Book of Shikon

**Note:**

Chapter 5

To England

Inuyasha blinked sleepily as another hard thud echoed through his darkened hotel room. He sat up and groaned, rubbing his eyes as his door continued to thud.

"Yeah yeah." He muttered, wrapping his sheet around his waist and stumbling to the door. He opened it and glared out at Kagome. "What time is it?"

"5:17." Kagome replied. "Get dressed."

"Why?" Inuyasha yawned.

"You need to see Bankotsu. It's about the book." Kagome explained. Inuyasha didn't bother to ask how she knew about that. Either a half-answer or one that made no sense, he didn't want either and he figured they were all she'd give.

"He said he wouldn't sell. I already saw him." Kagome shrugged.

"I think you should see him again." She suggested. Inuyasha sighed.

"Fine…just…give me a minute." He said, slamming the door shut.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha pushed open the door to the hotel, yawned and looked around for Kagome. The girl in question had on a helmet and was leaning against a motorcycle. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and walked towards her.

"I'm driving." He said.

"My bike." Kagome replied, gripping the handlebars and swinging her leg over. Inuyasha snorted and climbed on behind her. "Hold on." Kagome advised. She roared down the street, and Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders they spun around a corner.

"Where in hell did you learn how to drive?" He shouted over the engine. Kagome just smiled.

- - - - - - - - - -

The door to Bankotsu's mansion was ajar, a dead giveaway. Inuyasha walked inside and ran up to the door, pounding heavily.

"He's not inside." Kagome called, walking through the gate.

"Then where the hell is he?" Inuyasha snapped, pulling the door handle.

"Turn around." Inuyasha did, and Kagome nodded to the right. Inuyasha stepped down the stairs and followed her gaze to a large fountain in the corner of the grounds. He shook his head and sighed as he reached the edge of the fountain. Bankotsu floated just under the surface, obviously dead. Inuyasha looked down at him for a moment before turning around. Kagome was gone. He growled and stomped to the door of the mansion, bringing up his elbow to shatter the window.

"Come on in." Kagome smiled, opening the door. Inuyasha glared and walked past her, storming into the library. There, on the floor, the books had been scattered, and one black book was missing. Inuyasha cursed and looked around. A red glow caught his eye, and he walked into the next room where the fireplace coveted a few smoldering embers. There, in the coals, lay the singed _Shikon-no-Tama_, half the book burned away and the ends still glowing. Inuyasha picked the smoldering book up and cursed again, turning it over. The book was nothing now. He slipped it into his book bag and walked to stand in front of Kagome.

"It occurs to me that you know a little too much, so I think it's time you explain who the hell you are and why you've been following me." He ordered.

"No time. The next book is in England, there's a flight leaving at 8. If we hurry we can make it." Kagome replied.

"We? What we, when was there a we? I don't ever recall there being a we." Inuyasha growled.

"Simple, you need my bike to make it, I need a plane ticket. Quid pro quo." Kagome explained. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and sighed.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha stared out into space, musing silently. Kagome had her chair back beside him, her eyes closed.

"What do you think happened to Bankotsu?" Inuyasha asked, knowing she wasn't asleep.

"He must have found someone trying to steal his book and got killed." She murmured, shifting in her seat.

"Who do you think it was?" Inuyasha asked, looking at her.

"What does it matter, he's dead."

"It matters to me, he was killed over a book I'm researching, whoever killed him will probably come after me." Inuyasha explained.

"You'll be fine, I'm with you."

"So you're my guardian angel now?"

"If you say so." Kagome smiled her trademark grin again. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Someone is playing a game here." He muttered.

"Of course." Kagome agreed. "You just have to decide."

"Decide what?"

"How long you're going to let yourself be played." Kagome yawned. "And by who." Inuyasha sighed, knowing she was actually asleep this time, and leaned his head back to sleep himself.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Sir, we've landed." The stewardess said, shaking Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha nodded and sat up. He looked beside him and wasn't the least bit surprised to see the seat empty. He got up and pulled his bag out from under him, following the last people off the plane.

He passed through customs and down to the street, hailing a taxi. He climbed inside and closed the door behind him.

"You know where a guy named Sesshomaru T. lives?" he asked. The driver nodded and turned onto the street. Inuyasha pulled out the burnt copy of the _Shikon-no-Tama_ and flipped open what was left of it. He flipped the pages and stopped at where the first engraving should be. The page had been torn out, a thin line of paper along the crease of the binding. Someone had very neatly cut out the engraving. Inuyasha flipped to another page. Sure enough, all four of the L.C.F. engravings were gone, and the rest of the book had been left to burn.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha walked up the steps of the apartment complex and entered the lobby, looking through the directory and buzzing the top floor. A few seconds later the intercom crackled.

"Who is it?" The voice snapped.

"I'm a book dealer, I'm here to look at your collection." Inuyasha said. It wasn't a total lie, really. The door clicked, and Inuyasha walked inside and headed into an elevator that had just let a couple off. He took it up to the penthouse on the top floor and got off, walking down the hall and knocking on the lone door there. He heard footsteps come to the door, and it was pulled open. A tall man with long black hair answered the door.

"You the dealer?" Sesshomaru growled. Inuyasha nodded, and Sesshomaru stepped aside with a grunt. The apartment was well furnished, and had an excellent view. "This way. Don't touch anything." He snapped. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and followed Sesshomaru through the apartment. Sesshomaru pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked a set of double doors, and rolled them aside to reveal a vast library. "Behold the collection." Sesshomaru said, leading Inuyasha inside. Inuyasha let out a low whistle. "I'll assume that you have a specific book in mind to look at?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yes, actually. 15th century, _The Shikon-no-Tama_. I'd like to take a look at it and possibly buy it." Inuyasha explained.

"No." Sesshomaru replied. "The book is not for sale. I need it."

"My client is willing to pay anything you ask." Inuyasha offered.

"No." Sesshomaru repeated. "Tell your client that I want the book for much the same reason he probably wants it." Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

"So…you've…actually, tried it?" He asked carefully. Sesshomaru walked to one of the bookcases and pulled down the book.

"Yes, several times, actually." He said. "And with differing success."

"So there _have_ been some results?" Inuyasha confirmed.

"I don't see why you need to know." Sesshomaru sniffed. "If you're thinking of the Prince of Darkness springing up before me in a sea of flame then you're wrong. But yes, there have been some reactions. Nothing major, unfortunately. Apparitions appearing, voices speaking in tongues, spontaneous combusting of various materials, nothing more."

"So you're stilling hammering out the kinks?" Inuyasha asked.

"Call it what you will, but yes." Sesshomaru replied. He put the book on a desk against the wall. "You have a half hour. Make the most of it. And don't touch any of the other books." He walked out and slid the library doors shut behind him. Inuyasha snorted and sat at the desk, pulling out his notebook and Naraku's copy, and got started. He forgot about the texts, etc, and went straight to the engravings.

A definite pattern emerged. If a book was signed 'L.C.F.' in one copy, it was M.T. in the other. Inuyasha looked over the chart he had made comparing Naraku's book to Bankotsu's, and added Sesshomaru's information to the chart. In total, between the three books 12 were signed L.C.F., and Inuyasha had an idea as to what four might be signed differently in the last copy, Baroness Kaede's. He finished flipped through the book and was about to slam the back cover shut when something caught his eye. On the back cover was a small inscription, written in modern pen and ink. It was Latin, but Inuyasha knew enough to read it.

"To tread the paths of dread and know none, to play the greatest of games and win. Fear no noose, fire or water, let no sword cut, let no axe cleave, and let no arrow pierce. Give unto me the keys of knowledge and unlock the souls. Courage, love, wisdom and friendship, come to me and bestow on me the power…of Naobi." Inuyasha read. He frowned. There didn't appear to be any particular sense to the words. It wasn't much of a poem really, it just seemed to be some sort of…chant. He ripped a page from his notebook and scribbled down the words, both in Latin and English, and slipped the page into his pocket.

"Find something interesting?" Sesshomaru asked. Inuyasha jumped as the man walked in front of the desk and scooped up the book with the inscription, slamming it shut. "I see your client has a copy of the book himself." Sesshomaru said, eyeing Naraku's book. "Very interesting, but I have little interest in the other three copies or their owners."

"One of them is dead, actually. Bankotsu Shinchinintai is dead, and his copy of the book was burned." Inuyasha pulled the singed book from his bag. Sesshomaru snorted.

"If he was not strong enough to handle the book's power, than too bad for him." He replied. Inuyasha shrugged and stowed the book back in his bag.

"Anyway, I'll be leaving." He said, walking past Sesshomaru. The man watched him go and followed him to the door of his apartment.

"A little piece of advice." He called down the hall. Inuyasha turned around. "Satan and his disciples are very selective about who they share their powers with. Once you begin seeking their power, there are only two possible outcomes: death, or power, and the former is much more likely. Get out, before you don't have the choice."

"Whatever." Inuyasha scoffed, rolling his eyes. Sesshomaru glared and closed the door, locking it.


	6. What's Missing?

The Book of Shikon

Chapter 6

What's Missing?

Inuyasha was sitting in a small café just down the street from Sesshomaru's house, finishing his dinner as the sun set. He looked out over the darkening city and sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms. He had no clue how to get in touch with Naraku, it was fairly obvious the man was no longer waiting at his complex in the U.S. And yet if Sesshomaru was himself trying to complete the ritual detailed in the book, then there was no way he would sell it. Inuyasha was at a standstill.

"Excuse me sir." Inuyasha looked up to see the waitress. "We're closing." She said. Inuyasha nodded and dug Naraku's credit card from his pocket, handing it to her and gathering his book bag up. He walked up to the counter, and the waitress handed him his card back. Inuyasha walked out of the café and started down the street towards his hotel.

"Inuyasha." Inuyasha stopped and turned around just as he was about to cross the street. Sesshomaru walked up to him. "I'm here. What do you know?" The man asked.

"What?" Inuyasha replied.

"I brought my book like you said." Sesshomaru explained, pulling it from his coat. "Your wife called and told me to meet you here to discuss the ritual. Why?" Inuyasha shook his head.

"You're losing it, I never…" Inuyasha trailed off. "My wife?" He whispered. Realization dawned on him. "It's a trap."

Tires squealed, and the two turned to see a black car lurch out of the side street, roaring onto the curb and drive straight towards them. Inuyasha stared in horror, when he felt a blow, as if someone had just punched him in the stomach. He was thrown back to lie on the other side of the street, groaning and trying to sit up. Sesshomaru tried to get out of the way, but the car sideswiped him and sent him flying forward, the book flying out of his hands in the middle of the street.

Inuyasha coughed and groaned, rolling onto his stomach. The car skidded to a halt, the front doors opening. Inuyasha winced as a pair of black heels filled his field of vision. Behind them a familiar white-haired woman stepped from the car and looked around.

"Tsubaki, get the book." Kikyo snapped. Tsubaki nodded and walked over to where Sesshomaru's book lay. She stooped down and picked it up as Sesshomaru struggled to his feet.

"Damn…" Inuyasha moaned trying to get to his feet. Kikyo reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a handgun, cocking it and lowering it to Inuyasha's face. The next thing Inuyasha knew, there was an odd 'ripple' of air, and Kikyo was sent back to hit the side of the car, crying out on impact. Tsubaki whirled around as Kagome picked up Kikyo's gun, tossing it into the darkness. Tsubaki gasped as Sesshomaru wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her away as he grabbed the book in her hands.

"We have to go." Kagome said, pulling Inuyasha to his feet. "This is not our fight."

"Fuck off." Inuyasha snarled, throwing off the hand on his shoulder and picking up his fallen book bag. Tsubaki struggled out of Sesshomaru's grasp, the book slipping from her grasp in the process. Kikyo put a hand on the hood of her car for balance, pulling herself into the vehicle and slammed the door. She skidded down the street, Tsubaki diving in as she drove past.

"What the hell was that?" Inuyasha demanded, walking towards Sesshomaru.

"You set me up you bastard." Sesshomaru snarled. "This book is mine and I won't give it up to you." Sesshomaru spun around and marched away. Inuyasha shook his head.

"What the hell?" He growled.

"Seems like Kikyo isn't giving up yet." Kagome said. Inuyasha glared at her.

"What are you doing here?" He snapped.

"Saving your life, don't you trust me?"

"Not really, no." Inuyasha replied, pushing past her.

"Where are you going, Sesshomaru is the other way." Kagome called.

"I'm going to track down the _other_ loony braud who's been following me!" Inuyasha shot back. Kagome watched him go with a smile before turning to walk away.

- - - - - - - - - -

It made no sense. Kikyo's appearance was impossible, how would she know where he was? Inuyasha was sure of only a few things: Kagome knew a lot more than she was telling, Naraku was lying to him, Kikyo was stalking him, and for all he knew the three were all working together in some combination. He knew that, and that the L.C.F. engravings tied it all together. But how?

"There must be something I'm missing…" He whispered, rubbing his temples. He was sitting in the bar of his hotel, on his third whisky no less. People killing over a book, it was stupid, no one in history had ever completed the ritual. So would Kikyo and maybe Naraku and Kagome kill over the book? Inuyasha gasped. A sudden realization struck him. He grabbed his book bag and slapped a handful of bills on the bar counter as he rushed out of the hotel to see Sesshomaru.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha knocked again, thudding harder. The sun had just started to peak when he had entered a few minutes ago, and Sesshomaru wasn't answering. Inuyasha felt a familiar tingle down his spine, and frowned. He turned the handle and walked in. The apartment looked alright, except it was dead silent. Inuyasha walked to the library and slid open the doors.

Sesshomaru lay slumped backwards across his desk, blood pooling from his heart and sliding down the side of the desk. The _Shikon-no-Tama_ lay beside him, its pages ripped apart. Inuyasha walked forward to stare for a moment.

"Do I even need to ask if the engravings are gone?" He asked.

"You know better." Kagome replied, closing the library door.

"And I suppose if I ask you any questions you won't give me a straight answer." Inuyasha continued, looking over his shoulder. Kagome smiled.

"You learn fast." She chuckled.

"Someone is after the books."

"Yes."

"They killed Sesshomaru

"Yes."

"You know who don't you?"

"Yes."

"And you don't plan on telling me, do you?"

"No." Kagome shook her head and smiled. "But I do plan on telling you there's a flight to Paris leaving at noon." Inuyasha nodded and slipped Sesshomaru's tattered book into his book bag.

"And will you be coming along on this trip?" He asked, turning around. He eyed the empty library and sighed. "I guess not."

- - - - - - - - - -

It was late afternoon by the time Inuyasha had gathered his belongings and caught a cab to the airport. Naraku and Kikyo still hadn't made further appearances, although he was fairly sure that either or both of them was a few steps behind or ahead of him. He sat in the back of his cab as it drove along the highway. On the seat beside him lay three copies of the _Shikon-no-Tama_, one in near-perfect condition, one burned and one shredded.

"Someone wants these books." He mused. "Books co-written by the Devil that contain the secret of his power. Four books, each with 16 engravings and each with 4 that differ, signed by Lucifer himself. Someone wants these books, not just one, all of them. Why? No one in history had ever completed the ritual, 5 centuries and not a single person. Why? What were they doing wrong? And why would someone go through the trouble of killing the owners of the copies and then just leave them?"

"There's something else here, something I'm missing." Inuyasha growled. The taxi stopped and the Jamaican driver turned around.

"Alright man, the fare is 14 bucks American." Inuyasha looked out the window.

"This isn't the airport."

"I know man, but I can't take ya any further. To be honest, you're kinda creeping me out man."


	7. An Avid Collector

Chapter 7 

An Avid Collector 

"_Bonjour._" The valet said, tipping his hat as Inuyasha walked inside. He ignored him and headed to the front desk. The man looked up and smiled.

"Ah, Mr. Taisho, welcome back." The clerk said. Inuyasha smiled. He had done business in Paris before, and he always came to this hotel. Myoga wasn't quite as crooked as he was, but he could do some useful things as hotel clerk for a couple bucks. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, but we're currently booked full for a month." Myoga sighed. Inuyasha nodded and shook Myoga's hand.

"Well let me know if something opens." He said, releasing Myoga's hand. "And I will be back in a few hours." Myoga looked down at the bill in his hand and nodded.

"Of course." He said, waving. Inuyasha nodded and walked out of the hotel, knowing the address from Midoriko's biography. He hailed a cab and climbed in.

" 665 Horai Street." He told the driver, slamming the door.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha looked over a bronze plaque next to the door of Kaede's apartment complex. In both French and English it displayed Kaede's name and forbid anyone entry without an appointment. Inuyasha walked inside and waited for the secretary to look up.

_"Oui?" _She asked. Inuyasha cleared his throat.

"I'm here to see Kaede Myko, I have an appointment." He explained. "Inuyasha Taisho." The secretary typed on her computer and pushed a button under her desk. The steel gate at the bottom of the stairs retracted into the wall.

"Go on up." She said, waving to the stairs. Inuyasha nodded and climbed up them, emerging on the landing of the second floor and pushing the buzzer. The door clicked, and Inuyasha walked in. An elderly woman in a wheelchair and an eyepatch nodded at him as he entered.

"Inuyasha Taisho." She murmured, pushing the control panel of her chair to wheel back from her desk and turn to him.

"Baroness Myko." Inuyasha replied. "Pleasure."

"You are the one I hear about so often." Kaede mused.

"You know me?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes, your name is becoming something of a curse word among collectors. They say you're a lying, cheating, money-grubbing corrupt jackass."

"Well in our profession if people say good things about you then you aren't doing your job." Inuyasha replied with a grin. He noticed the laptop open on Kaede's desk and frowned. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No, I'm just writing my latest book, _Devil, Myth and Reality._" Kaede explained.

"Why the Devil?" Inuyasha asked.

"I saw him one day." Kaede said simply. "It was summer, I was 15 and playing in my mother's garden. I saw him walk in the gate, stare at me, turn and leave. I saw it as plain as I saw you enter my office. It was love at first site."

"500 years you'd get burned at the stake for that." Inuyasha chuckled.

"500 years ago I wouldn't admit to it." Kaede countered. "Why are you here Mr. Taisho?"

"I'd like to examine one of your books, the _Shikon-no-Tama_." Inuyasha explained. Kaede frowned and piloted her chair around the desk to a set of double doors.

"Interesting work, very excellent piece. A lot of people have been asking about it lately." She said, punching up a key-code on the right door's keypad. The doors opened, and revealed a large library.

"Baroness, do you really believe in the Devil?" Inuyasha asked.

"Enough to devote my life, books and library to him." Kaede replied, pulling the book off the shelf. "Do you believe?"

"I'm starting to wonder." Inuyasha sighed. Kaede nodded.

"This book requires a certain amount of faith, Mr. Taisho."

"Which is something I don't have a lot of." Inuyasha admitted. "Do you have any doubts of the book's authenticity?" Kaede frowned.

"Certainly not, I have studied this book for years, my knowledge of it is profound, I wrote a biography of its author." She protested.

"Yes, I read it, _Midoriko, Apprentice, Advocate, Concubine._" Inuyasha replied.

"In 1542, Midoriko met a young man by the name of Reilcuf Shikon, and the two instantly fell in love. Reilcuf would later admit to Midoriko he was the Devil incarnate, and the two wrote this book together as a means by which others could learn of him. It was meant to be a sort of Satanic Bible." Kaede explained. "Instead, Reilcuf vanished and Midoriko was burned at the stake."

"I understand they had a daughter together." Inuyasha said. Kaede snorted.

"Rubbish, I know all there is about Midoriko, she bore no children of Satan, it is mere rumor, mostly sensationalism spread by the Order of Shikon. It's a secret sect founded a year after Midoriko's death that promised her soul to guard the books and study its secrets. Today it's a mere social club for millionaires and celebrities to meet and indulge their rampant desires and sex drives that they could otherwise not do in public. I myself belonged to their order, many years ago. But my orgy days are long gone, and I grew tired of their laughable meetings. I told the sect leader that if she wanted to know how to summon the Devil she can go ask him herself." Inuyasha laughed.

"She?" He asked.

"Kikyo Fletcher, she leads the sect right now." Kaede explained. Little bells went off in Inuyasha's head. "Until I left the sect they would read from my book, and when I left them Kikyo acquired the Houshi copy. Every year the sect meets on the anniversary of Midoriko's death to read from this book. In fact they'll be meeting very soon now. So far, they have not succeeded with the ritual and I am not surprised."

"They read from the book?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes, throughout the centuries they have always had access to a copy. In recent times, Sesshomaru Tenseiga tries to do the ritual himself, and Bankotsu Shinchinintai is no believer in the dark forces, so when I take my copy, Kikyo was forced to buy the Houshi." Kaede replied.

"Did Musou Fletcher ever take part in the meetings?" Inuyasha asked. Kaede snorted.

"Certainly not, Kikyo married him for money. She never loved him, and he never loved her. Kikyo came from the Tuso family, a rich Japanese family that lost their fortune in the stock market, so Kikyo married Musou and used his money to restore the chateau where the sect meets, and to buy the Houshi book. Whenever there was a meeting Kikyo would just sneak off for a week and travel to the sect headquarters in Europe. Gorging herself on wine and food, having the various male members of the sect stick their various parts of their body in various parts of hers, my god…if Musou actually had any idea what Kikyo got up to, he'd kill himself." Inuyasha coughed while Kaede laughed.

"Funny you should say that Baroness, he hanged himself a few weeks ago." Inuyasha said. Kaede's smile slowly vanished.

"Exactly who are you working for, Mr. Taisho?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"My client is irrelevant Baroness, I'm simply trying to compare his copy to the other three to authenticate it." Inuyasha explained.

"How stupid of me, I should have guessed." Kaede growled. "You have outstayed your welcome Mr. Taisho. Go back to your client, who can only be Onigumo Naraku, and tell him that if he wants to examine my book he can come do it himself, _if_ he dares. Stop wasting my time with a wolf in sheep's clothing." Inuyasha sighed.

"Fine." He said, turning and walking away.

"You're in far over your head Mr. Taisho." Kaede called.

"Don't you think I know that?" Inuyasha called back, leaving her office.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha stepped outside from Kaede's complex, and pulled his jacket up. He looked around and froze. Across the street, leaning against the stone balcony over the river below, was Tsubaki, casually smoking a cigarette. Inuyasha glared at her before walking down the street. After several steps he turned his head slightly. Tsubaki was walking along with him. Inuyasha cursed and realized there was no way he could go back to the hotel. He ducked into a café and went up to the counter.

"Coffee, decaf. And these." He said, grabbing a pair of sunglasses from a rack and tossing them on the counter. The cashier nodded and rang up the purchase. Inuyasha looked over his shoulder. Tsubaki had sat down at a bench and started a new cigarette.

- - - - - - - - - -

Several hours later the sun had set, and Inuyasha had downed two cups of coffee. Looking outside, Tsubaki was gone. He tucked his white hair under his jacket and slipped on the sunglasses, dropping some bills on the table and walking outside. He looked to either side, and went to cross the street. A parked car squealed forward, and Inuyasha spun around. The car hefted up on the sidewalk, and Inuyasha dashed down a staircase leading to the walkway by the riverside. He made it down the stairs and looked up where he had come, looking for Kikyo. He walked under the street bridge and started up the stairs on the other side.

He had gotten half-way up when Tsubaki stepped into view at the top. Inuyasha stopped, and turned to run back down. Tsubaki all but leapt on his back, sending both of them tumbling below, Inuyasha's sunglasses falling free on the pavement. Tsubaki hauled Inuyasha to his feet and landed a hook. Inuyasha spun around, and Tsubaki lifted her leg to kick him in the back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Inuyasha spat blood and climbed to his feet, turning to see Tsubaki fall on her back as Kagome delivered a roundhouse. Where the hell did she come from? Inuyasha grabbed Tsubaki's collar, and she twisted out of his grasp to run up the stairs. Kagome put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, and he spun around to punch her, not even registering who it was before turning back to Tsubaki. Inuyasha ran after her, smashing his glasses on the way. He grabbed Tsubaki's heel, and she tore out of it, leaving her shoe behind as she ran away. Inuyasha followed her and emerged atop the stairs to see her dive into the car, the driver – probably Kikyo – pulling away. Inuyasha growled and tossed her shoe to the ground. He sat down on a nearby bench and sighed.

"You forgot these." He looked up to see Kagome offer him his book bag and glasses. Inuyasha took them and lifted his book bag onto his shoulder with one hand as he placed the sunglasses back on with the other. One lens of smashes and the arm bent, but he really didn't give a crap.

"They're broken." Kagome pointed out. Inuyasha gave her a look and noted the blood leaking from her nose.

"You're bleeding." He muttered. Kagome shrugged. "C'mon, I'll get you fixed up." He said, standing up.


	8. Secret of the Four Souls

The Book of Shikon

Chapter 8

Secret of the Four Souls

"Put this on the back of your neck." Inuyasha said, hanging Kagome an icepack from the freezer. Kagome lifted her hair up from under her jacket and let it fall down her back as she lifted the pack to her neck. "I'm sorry about punching you." Inuyasha said, sitting beside her on the bed.

"It's okay. I've seen worse." Kagome replied, smiling. Inuyasha nodded slowly.

"Thanks…for the rescue." He grunted, rolling his eyes. Kagome smiled back and patted the back of his hand on the bed. Inuyasha wanted to get up and go down to thank Myoga for getting him the room, but found himself unable to do anything…except stare at Kagome. The girl's eyes had taken on an unearthly glow in the dim light of the bedside lamp, although Inuyasha couldn't tell if it was real or a trick of the light.

Kagome reached up to her nose and carefully wiped the blood off on the tip of her finger. That same finger came up to Inuyasha's forehead, but he barely even noticed. He did snap back into focus as her finger traced over his skin. One line across….one short, vertical line on the left, a longer one on the right. Inuyasha blinked as she drew her hand back, a sly smile on her lips. Inuyasha got up off the bed and glared down at her.

"Okay, that's it. What do you know?" He demanded. Kagome shrugged.

"Someone is after your book." She said.

"No shit. How do you fit into it?" He snapped. Kagome flashed her trademark smile. "And _that_…is getting annoying." Inuyasha growled. The phone on the bedside rang, and Inuyasha stomped over to answer it.

"What?"

"_You have a call_." Myoga said on the other end.

"Patch it through." Inuyasha said. The line clicked.

"_Mr. Taisho, long time._" Naraku said.

"Ah, his master's voice." Inuyasha muttered. "Hold on." He put a hand over the receiver and looked down at Kagome. "I'll be in the bathroom. Will you be here when I get back?"

"Not likely." Kagome replied. Inuyasha grunted and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind him and turning on the sink faucet to wipe the drying blood on his face with one hand while the other gripped the receiver.

"I spoke to Kaede." He said, toweling his forehead off. "She knew who I was and figured I was working for you. Then she kicked me out. You weren't exactly in her good books."

"_I see. How distressing._" Naraku sighed. Inuyasha glared at the phone.

"Also, Sesshomaru is dead but you probably already know that, huh? Why is it this entire time it's felt like you've been stepping in my footprints? Where are you?" He snapped. "I've been nearly run over, stalked, had my ass kicked by a woman, and keep seeing people dead. I'm getting a little tired of this shit, especially when you, among a lot of other people, have the answers I want." Naraku was silent for a moment, and when he did it wasn't anything Inuyasha wanted to hear.

"_Go back to Kaede, examine her book._" He ordered.

"The old woman has security." Inuyasha replied.

"_Everyone has a lunch break._" Naraku replied. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and hung up, knowing his shadowy employer had probably already done so himself. He walked back into his apartment, noting with disinterest the lack of Kagome, and grabbed his book bag. He phoned the hotel desk.

"_Yes?_" Myoga answered.

"Do you have a photocopier here?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes." Myoga replied. Inuyasha nodded and hung up, grabbing his book bag and heading downstairs.

- - - - - - - - - -

A few minutes later, Inuyasha entered the room again, a stack of white photocopies in his hand. He tucked them into his book bag and looked around the room. He spied a small cupboard next to the bed and knelt down, opening it to reveal a mini-fridge. He grabbed either side and slowly pulled it out. He took a towel from the bedside table and wrapped the _Shikon-no-Tama_ in it before tucking it behind the fridge. That done, he pushed the fridge back and shut the cupboard. Inuyasha nodded and grabbed his book bag, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Myoga." Inuyasha said, slapping a hand on the desk. "I need you to find someone for me."

"Sure, who?" Myoga asked, pocketing the bill under Inuyasha's hand.

"Kikyo Fletcher, maiden name Tuso. 30-ish, black hair, brown eyes, dishy. Probably with a younger woman with platinum-blonde hair, called Tsubaki." Myoga jotted down the descriptions and nodded. "They're probably in a hotel somewhere in the country, maybe even in town. Try the 4-stars, she's loaded."

"I'll look around." Myoga promised.

"Thanks." Inuyasha waved, walking out of the hotel.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha flipped through a newspaper, his white hair tucked underneath his coat. Every time he flipped the paper he cast a glance across the street where Kaede's complex was. Finally, he saw the security guard step outside, and smiled. He grabbed his book bag and waited for the guard to walk away. When she turned the corner he ran into the complex. He searched under the guard's desk and hit the button to retract the iron gate over the stairs. That done, he climbed up them to the doors to Kaede's office. He hit the intercom.

"Who's there?" Kaede demanded.

"It's the wolf in sheep's clothing." Inuyasha replied.

"I told you to leave." Kaede snapped.

"I know, but I have a peace offering in exchange for letting me see your book. Something you might be interested in about it." Inuyasha explained.

"What could you know about the book that could interest me?" Kaede asked. Inuyasha took a breath.

"What if I said I know why no one in history has been able to perform the ritual?" He said. There was a pause. Then the door clicked open. Inuyasha smiled and pulled it open, walking to Kaede's desk.

"You have two minutes." Kaede said. "Why has the ritual never worked?"

"Tell me Baroness, have you ever compared your book to the other three?" Inuyasha asked.

"No, why?" Kaede said.

"Because the fact is they differ." Inuyasha explained.

"So your peace offering is to call my book's authenticity?" Kaede growled. "If so then leave. My book if genuine."

"I agree entirely Baroness, the fact is all 4 books are genuine. If you would be so kind as to show me your copy." Inuyasha waited for a moment. Kaede glared at him suspiciously before wheeling to her library doors, punching in the keycode and going inside, pulling her book off the shelf. "The first engraving." Inuyasha said, taking the book from her and flipped it open on the table. Kaede's chair stopped in front of it as they gazed at the hanged man. "In Bankotsu's copy, the man was hanging by his other leg." He flipped to the second engraving. "And in Naraku's." Inuyasha reached into his book bag and pulled out one the photocopies he had made, that of the engravings. "The man's visor is down. In the other books its up." Kaede's brow furrowed. "And if my research is any indication, the third engraving will be different in your book." Inuyasha turned to it and pulled the next photocopy from his bag, placing it on the table beside the book. The two showed a regal castle in the distance, a large lake of water with a man floating in it before the castle.

"So?" Kaede demanded. Inuyasha tapped the page.

"The turrets, Baroness. 3 in Naraku's, and the others. _4_ in yours." Kaede's eyes slowly widened. "In Naraku's copy four of the engravings differ, and the ones that do aren't signed Midoriko Takahashi. They're signed L.C.F." Kaede's head snapped up to stare at him. "There are four in total is each book so far, and if my hunch is right there's another four in yours. Four engravings in four books makes sixteen. Coincidence or more?" Kaede shook her head in disbelief. "Maybe Midoriko hid the secret of the Four Souls in four books, not one. But no one is history has ever owned all four books and never figured that out until now."

"I must say, I am impressed." Kaede breathed. "If this were true it would be a revelation, my research, research on the book itself would do a reversal, a complete twist…" Kaede looked up at Inuyasha. "You have my permission to research my book, take as long as you need Mr. Taisho, but I ask that I see your findings before you leave. You may very well have stumbled upon the answer to a 5-century old riddle, and I will be a part of it." Inuyasha smiled.

"Thank you." He replied.


	9. And Then There Were None

The Book of Shikon

**Cookie to anyone who sees the pun in the date mentioned here. Assume the year is this one to get it.**

Chapter 9

And Then There Were None…

Inuyasha leafed through Kaede's book, scanning each engraving. One was a chessboard. On the photocopy of Naraku's book the chess pieces were arranged into a stalemate, a draw. In Kaede's there was an extra piece for the black player, resulting in a checkmate. Inuyasha flipped to the next engraving, and frowned. Sandwiched in the book's pages was a postcard. He frowned and picked it up. It showed a large, ancient castle framed by a sunset. He flipped the back over. _Sorry Kaede, I saw it first! – Naraku._

Inuyasha tossed it on the table and kept examining the engravings. Sure enough, four were signed LCF. In total then were 16 engravings signed as such.

"I knew it." He muttered, sitting back and rubbing his chin. He leaned forward to write something in his notebook when he heard footsteps behind him. "Hello Baroness, checking on me?" He muttered, flipping the page. He then frowned. Kaede was crippled, she didn't _have_ footsteps.

That was his last thought before something heavy hit the back of his head, and he fell forward on the table.

- - - - - - - - - -

Thump…rrrrrrr…thump…rrrrrrr…thump.

Inuyasha groaned and blinked, reaching up the back of his head and wincing at the tender bump there. He lifted his head and blinked away the double images to see Kaede's wheelchair driving into the wall, each time bumping back and lurching forward again. Inuyasha gulped and stood up.

"Baroness?" He asked, walking towards her. The chair bumped back, and Inuyasha turned it. A thick towel was wrapped around Kaede's neck, her head slumped to the side and her hand firmly clutching the controls of her chair. Inuyasha jumped back, and the chair zoomed past him, bumping the table and crashing through the doors to Kaede's office.

"Holy shit!" Inuyasha cried, staring at the sight. Flames had spread along Kaede's desk and the carpet underneath. Kaede hit the desk and slumped onto it limply, the flames eating their way up the device. Inuyasha grabbed his book bag and swept everything else on the table, his notebook, the postcard, everything, before running past the flames to escape. He spun around and squinted into the flames.

There, under Kaede's head, lay the _Shikon-no-Tama_, already burning. Inuyasha cursed and turned back, running down the stairs and down the street.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha walked into his hotel room, an annoying look on his face. He headed to the front desk and faced the clerk. Myoga must not have been on duty.

"Any messages for me? Room 213." He said. The clerk shook his head.

"No, but your wife was looking for you." He replied. Inuyasha glared.

"I don't have a wife…" He muttered, remembering the fiasco in England. "What did she want?" He snapped.

"She was looking for you, so I sent her up to your room." The clerk explained.

"Son a bitch!" Inuyasha roared, spinning around. He ran to the stairs, pushing a man aside and taking them two at a time. He ran into his hotel room and groaned. The minibar lay open on the floor, the drawer it was in open. Inuyasha looked inside the drawer and groaned. Naraku's book was gone. Inuyasha cursed angrily and punched a pillow on the bed. He looked around and growled.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Room 213, checking out." Inuyasha said, sliding Naraku's credit card across the counter. The clerk nodded and rang it through, handing it back. The phone rang, and he answered it. Inuyasha looked around for Myoga, wondering what had become of his search.

"Excuse me sir." Inuyasha turned. "For you." The clerk said, holding out the phone. Inuyasha took it.

"What?" He muttered.

"_Hello Mr. Taisho. I called to check on you._" Naraku said. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Well I looked at the old lady's book. Same deal, 4 L.C.F. engravings like the others. The problem is someone swiped her book, knocked me out and strangled her and made a nice bonfire of her collection. Quite a tragedy, don't you think?"

"_You took the words right out of my mouth._" Naraku agreed.

"The good news I learned my lesson, I used photocopies of your book for comparison and hid the original. Good thing I had, or I'd bet you it would be burning right now." Inuyasha continued.

"_Good work, good thinking. Well then Mr. Taisho, it seems that with only my copy left our business is complete. I'm in Paris, at the Ritz, you can meet me there and return my book, and pick up your check at the same time, as agreed, ten times the original amount. Shall we say an hour?_" Naraku asked. Inuyasha cleared his throat.

"I can't return the book. Someone pretending to be my wife snuck into my room while I was out and snatched it." He sighed. Naraku was silent.

"_Listen carefully, Mr. Taisho. I think you already have an idea as to how far I am prepared to go to get something I want. If you do not find and return my book by tomorrow evening, you will find out just how far that can be._" He hissed. He hung up, and Inuyasha followed suited, turning to lean against the desk. He saw who was standing behind him and growled, grabbing her wrist.

"Where is it?" He snapped. Kagome shrugged.

"Where's what?" She replied. Inuyasha twisted her wrist, and she reversed the hold, slamming him into the counter and holding his arm behind his back.

"If I took it do you think I would have come back?" She asked. "You should know better by now." She released him, and Inuyasha glared at her before turning to the clerk.

"Is that the one who was looking for me?" He asked, jerking a thumb at Kagome. The clerk leaned to the side and shook his head.

"No, she was taller, longer hair." He replied. Inuyasha sighed.

"Mr. Taisho." Myoga said, emerging from the back room with a piece of paper. "I found the ladies you were looking for. They're currently staying at the _Lap of Luxery_, suite 1214." Inuyasha took the paper and nodded.

"Right." he said, pulling a piece of paper and a pen from his bookbag. "Be a dear and send this to Onigumo Naraku by fax. He's staying at the Ritz. And call me a cab while you're at it." He asked. He scribbled _'It's the Fletcher braud'_ on it and signed his name at the bottom. He slid it to Myoga across the counter. "I'm going." He turned and took a few steps towards the door, then stopped. "You coming this time, or are you already gone?"

"I'll be coming along for now." Kagome replied, walking past him. Inuyasha shrugged and followed her outside.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha pushed open the door to Kikyo's hotel, Kagome not far behind him. He walked to the elevator and pushed the button.

"What do you plan to do when we find them?" Kagome asked. The elevator beeped and opened.

"Sic you on them, you seem to have no trouble taking them out." He muttered, hitting the button for Kikyo's floor. Kagome smiled at him as they rode the contraption up. It beeped again a moment later, and they stepped out to the floor. Inuyasha counted down the doors to 1214, then reached for the handle. It turned before he clutched it, and he pushed Kagome back behind a pillar, backing up to hide. A hotel employee wheeled a trolley of luggage out of the room and down the hall. Inuyasha watched him go and slipped into the room. He scanned the interior and cursed. An ashtray held a smoking cigarette with a near-by half-finished cup of tea.

"They're gone." He muttered.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome and Inuyasha exited the elevator and walked across the lobby. Inuyasha looked around and stopped.

"That's them, at the counter." He hissed, nodding to the side. Kagome followed his gaze and nodded.

"We'd better find a ride before they do." She said, walking outside. Inuyasha jogged after her. Kagome waited on the street for a moment before following as Inuyasha ran down the street and tried to flag down a taxi. Several passed, honking their horns angrily.

"They're going." Kagome said, looking over her shoulder. Inuyasha turned to see a bellhop loading Kikyo's suitcases in the trunk of a limousine in front of the hotel. He cursed and stepped out to the street, jumping back as another car nearly sideswiped him. He looked back at Kikyo as she climbed inside her ride, the bellhop slamming the trunk down. Inuyasha turned back to the street when a red sports car pulled up in front of him.

"Hop in." Kagome said, waving him inside. Inuyasha gave her a look and he climbed in.

"Where'd you get this from?" He asked.

"Valet parker. Gave him a break." Kagome replied. Kikyo's limo pulled out onto the street, and Kagome pushed down the gas to follow.

"You could have gone with something a little more inconspicuous." Inuyasha grumbled.

"Don't be picky, some men would give their testicles to have a car like this." Kagome said with a grin. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and leaned back as the two followed Kikyo into the Paris streets.


	10. Crescendo

The Book of Shikon

Chapter 10

Crescendo

Inuyasha sat back in his seat as Kagome followed Kikyo's limo through the French countryside. He pulled open the glove compartment, pulling out a large blue handkerchief, a length of garden hose, and a pair of scissors before finding a roadmap. He pulled it open and traced the map with his fingertip, tracking their location. He looked up and sighed, glaring at the back of Kikyo's ride.

"If we keep trailing them they're bound to smell a rat. We'll have to pass them." He muttered.

"This will be the third time now I've helped you, they're know me by now." Kagome reminded. Inuyasha nodded and sighed, looking around the car for a solution.

- - - - - - - - - -

Tsubaki kept pace on the road, looking out the window as a sports car passed by. She frowned at the odd ensemble of a blue turban with a green binding as the driver drove ahead of her. She shrugged and kept driving.

Ahead, Inuyasha slowly slid back up in his seat, casting a discreet glance behind him.

"How do I look?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha snorted.

"Like an idiot." He replied. Kagome grinned

The drive continued for an hour, when an exit turned to the right. Kagome kept going straight as Kikyo's limo drove up the ramp. Kagome slowed down and stopped, backing up and getting a honk from a trailer-truck behind Kikyo, before turning right and driving again.

"He's too slow, pass him." Inuyasha instructed. Kagome pulled to the left, and the truck swerved to cut her off. Kagome pulled right, and the truck followed suit. Kagome went left again as Inuyasha leaned over to hammer the car horn. The driver leaned out the window and jammed his finger up into the air. Inuyasha sat back and groaned. Some 2 minutes later, the truck turned left, revealing a ramp down to the highway and a street heading left and right.

"Which way?" Kagome asked.

"You pick, you have all the answers." Inuyasha replied.

"If you say so." Kagome said, turning right.

- - - - - - - - - -

An hour later, dusk had fallen as Kagome and Inuyasha had kept driving. The road was fairly linear, and what few turns there had been Kagome had ignored. Inuyasha sighed and put his head back. They hadn't seen another car in fifteen minutes.

"Turn around, we've gotta go back." Inuyasha grumbled. Kagome hit the brakes and swung the car to sit across the road.

"What was her name again?" Kagome asked, taking the road map from between them.

"Kikyo Fletcher." Inuyasha replied.

"No, her maiden name." Inuyasha shrugged.

"Tuso. Why?" He asked. Kagome tapped the road map with a finger, prompting Inuyasha to lean over to see it. There on the map was a turnoff from the highway leading north, with a small street name above it. _Tuso Lane._ Kagome gave Inuyasha smug look before turning and driving down the street again.

- - - - - - - - - -

Two large stone pillars topped with eternal flames stood on the right side of the road, on either side of a large iron gateway. Two armed guarded stood at the gate as Inuyasha and Kagome neared.

"Keep driving." Inuyasha muttered. Kagome made no indication she had heard, until she drove past the gate. As they passed, Inuyasha glanced at it out of the corner of his eye. The gates opened to a long gravel drive lined with torches. At the end of the drive was a large fountain in front of a three-story stone mansion. A quarter mile past the gate, Kagome pulled to the side of the road and parked. A dense forest greeted their exit from the car on the roadside. Inuyasha picked up his book bag and pushed his way into the foliage, Kagome close behind.

Several minutes later the two emerged from the forest on the grounds of Kikyo's mansion. Inuyasha and Kagome walked behind the line of trees on either side of the gravel drive, watching as a car drove up to circle the fountain. The driver and a doorman helped the man inside with his bags, the large oak doors of the mansion slamming shut. Inuyasha ran up to the front steps and looked around.

He grabbed onto a large lamppost nearby and climbed up, grabbing onto the top for a boost. He craned his head up to peek inside what looked like a dining hall.

"See them?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shook his head and slid back down the post. He waved her forward as he began to walk across the front of the mansion, peeking in the windows along the way.

"It looks like the bottom floor is all kitchens and rec rooms." He said several minutes later after circling the mansion. He looked up and spotted a balcony overhead. He put a foot on a set of bars along the bottom window and hoisted himself up. Kagome grabbed the window beside him and followed him up. Inuyasha put an arm over the stone railing overhead and pulled himself over the balcony, putting out a hand to help Kagome up too.

"It's her." Kagome said, staring inside the room. Inuyasha followed her gaze and mentally cursed. Of all the luck, the two of them had climbed up onto Kikyo's balcony. Inside, Kikyo unclipped her blouse and shrugged it off her shoulders before grabbing a long black cloak from her bed. She lifted it over her head and let it fall into place before grabbing a long pentagram pendant and hanging it around her neck. Inuyasha tiptoed over to the balcony door and held his book bag over one of the glass panels. He drew back a fist and punched.

Kikyo spun around as Inuyasha reached his hand in and twisted her door open.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded. Inuyasha ripped open a suitcase on her nightstand and started throwing clothes onto the floor. Kikyo stepped forward, but Kagome put out an arm and shook her head.

"Looking for the book you stole from me." Inuyasha replied, pulling open her dresser drawers.

"That book was mine, it was not Musou's to sell!" Kikyo snarled. "I'll pay your employers 10 times what he paid, hell, I'll give _you_ 10 times what he paid!"

"It's not about the money anymore for any of us, you should know that by now." Inuyasha snorted, marching past her to her bed. He flung up the suitcase there and pulled out the final copy of _The Shikon-no-Tama_. He held the book up with a smirk as Kikyo's door opened. Tsubaki, wearing the same black robe as Kikyo, took a step inside and froze. Inuyasha and Kagome whirled around to stare at her, and Kikyo ducked under Kagome's arm, puling a gun from among the scattered contents of her suitcases and swinging to point it as Inuyasha's head.

"Don't move." She growled. She jerked the gun, and Kagome moved to stand beside Inuyasha. "Get the book." Kikyo snapped. Tsubaki stepped forward and jerked the book from Inuyasha's grasp, looking down at it before lifting it and slamming it into the back of his skull. Inuyasha fell with a grunt as Tsubaki moved past him, taking the gun from Kikyo and handing her the book.

"Shall I kill them?" Tsubaki asked.

"Not here, you'll make a mess." Kikyo sneered. Inuyasha shakily climbed to his feet, holding Kagome's shoulder for balance. Tsubaki nodded.

"Out." She snapped. Kagome and Inuyasha moved out the door, Inuyasha following Kagome woozily, although regaining his balance. Tsubaki led the two at gunpoint down the hall. "Left door." Tsubaki ordered. Kagome swung it open, revealing an oak staircase down. She and Inuyasha marched down the steps to another, grey door. "Open it." Tsubaki continued. Kagome pushed the door open to reveal a long flight of stone steps under the mansion. Tsubaki held them down the steps, until they were about halfway down.

"Heads up." Inuyasha snapped. Kagome ducked as Inuyasha grabbed the arm holding the gun to his back and flung her forward. Tsubaki sailed over Kagome, landing on the stone stairs and rolling to the hard floor. Inuyasha rushed down the stairs and kicked her on her back. Kagome watched as Inuyasha grabbed the gun from where Tsubaki had dropped it, swung it to her forehead and fired again and again until the room echoed with the empty click of the clip. He flung the gun away with a groan and looked up at Kagome, frowning. Her eyes gleamed with excitement and satisfaction.

"I always knew you had it in you." She whispered, grinning. Inuyasha shook his head and pulled Tsubaki's corpse up to yank the black robe over her shoulders.

- - - - - - - - - -

"_Kariou, Slia, Korou Timalt._" Kikyo cried, drawing a hand down the cover of the _Shikon-no-Tama_ on a pedestal before her. She was standing before a room of black-robed men and women in the main assembly hall of the mansion. On the balcony running around the room above her, Inuyasha stepped out from the door and pulled the hood of the black robe over his head.

"Stay here, I'm going down." He hissed. Kagome nodded, and Inuyasha descending a small spiral set of steps down to the floor. He hung at the back of the crowd as Kikyo continued chanting.

"_Slia, Noro Talma, Forotmal!_" She yelled. The black crowd repeated the words, and Inuyasha just watched, waiting for something, anything, to distract them long enough for him to sneak up and grab the book.

"_Gorol Slia Noro…_"

"MUMBO JUMBO!" A voice roared. The crowd turned as the doors to the hall were flung open, a black-suited businessman marching inside and pushing his way through the crowd. "Mumbo jumbo, mumbo jumbo!" He snarled, looking at Kikyo in disgust.

"Naraku?" Inuyasha whispered, staring at his employer. Naraku climbed onto the stage and spun around to glare at the crowd.

"Look at yourselves." He spat. "Go ahead, look around. Do you think the Prince of Darkness would dare to even think of appearing before you, this revolting orgy of pathetic flesh conducted in his name? He never has appeared to you in 500 years and he never shall in another 500! And you insult him by even thinking he would." Naraku took the _Shikon-no-Tama_ from Kikyo, folding it up and holding it high.

"You read from his book, but you have no conception of its true power." He sneered. "I alone know the secret of the Four Souls, I alone have seen his grand design, I alone have discovered the ultimate power in this book's words. Ultimate power, beyond the comprehension of any mortal, transcending time itself. I alone am worthy of that power."

"You're mad Naraku." Kikyo screeched, swiping for the book. Naraku twisted it out of her reach and grabbed her chin.

"And _you_, Kikyo Tuso Fletcher, are worse of all." He growled, staring at her. "You at the very least have an idea of what this book can do in the right hands, but you continue to call these congregations, lower and debase yourself. You're a hack, a charlatan." Kikyo lunged forward, raking her nails down Naraku's cheek. Naraku fell back, the _Shikon-no-Tama_ landing on the floor. Kikyo grabbed it and crawled away. Naraku clutched his bloody cheek and reached forward, pulling Kikyo back and flipping her over. He wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed. Kikyo futilely struggled against as Inuyasha pushed up through the crowd and ducked behind Naraku, grabbing a large metal torch.

"Don't!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha shot her a glare and lifted it to slam it into Naraku. Kagome's arms wrapped around his back and hauled him away. Inuyasha wondered how she had stopped him by getting down in a few seconds. The torch struck a glancing blow, and Kikyo dropped the book to crawl away again. Naraku grabbed the limp chain around her neck and pulled her back against his chest. Kikyo made a gurgling sound as the pentagram pendant dug into her neck.

"Leave it." Kagome hissed, holding Inuyasha back. He wondered how on earth she was able to restrain him as he watched. Kikyo made a gurgling sound as a thin trickle of blood dripped from where the points of the pendant had dug into her skin. Naraku pushed her forward, her body lying limp on the ground. The black crowd stepped back as Naraku plucked the _Shikon-no-Tama_ from her hands and smiled at the group.

"BOO!" He yelled. The crowd screamed and spun around, fleeing the room. "Fools." Naraku sneered, stepping over Kikyo's body. Inuyasha watched him leave, Kagome finally letting him go.

"What the fuck was that?" He demanded.

"He just killed someone in front of a hundred witnesses, you're off the hook for the other murders." Kagome explained. Inuyasha snorted before running across the room. "What more do you want?" Kagome called.

"You know what." Inuyasha shot back. He ran outside and stared as the members of the cult fled in various directions. Dawn had just begun to peek as the sky lightened. Naraku had opened the door of a van and climbed inside. Inuyasha ran towards him, not even coming close as Naraku turned and drove down the gravel drive. Inuyasha looked around and climbed in another car, pulling the keys down from the sun visor and turning it on. He pulled back and started to turn as Kagome appeared at the open passenger window.

"You forgot something." She replied, tossing him his book bag. Inuyasha shook his head.

"You were working for him all along." He muttered.

"Funny, weren't you?" Kagome replied. Inuyasha gave her on last look before turning and driving after Naraku. Kagome watched him go with a dark grin and a gleam in her eyes, lifting a foot and stepping down the drive as the mansion burst into flame behind her.


	11. Ascension

The Book of Shikon

**"Full" version of this chapter can be found at Mediaminer.**

Chapter 11

Ascension

Inuyasha drove down the road after Naraku, speeding to keep him in his sights. Naraku _had_ been following him all along, shadowing his moves. And now the puppet master had descended from the catwalk and taken center stage.

"I'm done being a puppet." Inuyasha growled, stepping down on the gas more. Naraku must have started to notice him, because he sped up too. Inuyasha kept chase and turned as Naraku swerved off the road into the countryside. The book dealer squinted to see through the high grass, with the weeds parting suddenly as Naraku drove over a small river. Inuyasha drove into it, and the car let out a puff of smoke, grinding to a halt. Inuyasha groaned and slammed his head on the horn as Naraku drove away.

"Damn it." He growled. He tugged the black robe over his head and grabbed his book bag. He opened the door of the car and sighed at the deep water before stepping out, the water dipping up to his knees. He rolled his eyes and slammed the door shut, trudging to the shore and shaking out his feet. He reached into his book bag to check and make sure Kagome hadn't stolen anything, and felt something metal. He drew it out and stared at the gun he had used to deliver Tsubaki her final blow. Inuyasha lifted the weapon to his ear and shook it.

It responded with the rattle of a full clip.

- - - - - - - - - -

Dawn had peeked when Inuyasha had left the mansion. By the time he had made it to the next town on foot and gotten a new pair of pants, it was after noon. He was cold from the thigh down, he had a headache, he was tired, and for all he knew either Kagome or Naraku could round the next corner any minute and kill him. And worst of all, he knew he wasn't done yet.

Inuyasha leaned back in his seat of the restaurant he was at and finished off his wine, deciding to wait before working on the fish he had ordered. He picked his book bag up and set it on the table, reaching inside and withdrawing the two _Shikon-no-Tama_ copies inside, Sesshomaru's tattered one and Bankotsu's burned one. He snorted and tossed them haphazardly back into the bag. They were worthless now, in more ways than one.

Next his notebook, which he flipped open and read over the notes he had made when examining the books. The chant in Sesshomaru's book, the L.C.F. engravings, the postcard in Kaede's copy, the…

Inuyasha stopped himself and frowned. He dug back into his bag and pulled out the postcard he had found in the pages of Kaede's book. He looked at it. It was an ancient castle, set high on a hilltop. He flipped it over and read what it said. _Sorry Kaede, I saw it first! – Naraku_. Inuyasha glared at the card before calling the waitress over.

"Where is this place?" She asked. The waitress said something in French and called the bartender over. He walked over to Inuyasha took the postcard.

"Yeah, I know this place." He said. "Several miles north, out of the way. Why?" Inuyasha shrugged.

"I'm meeting a friend there." He explained. The bartender gave him an odd look.

"Take the 96 north to the Glory Overpass, then turn left. Follow that a ways out into the country, and a couple miles down there's a dirt turn-off east. Follow that, you can't miss it, it's the only turn-off on the road. That'll take you in the general direction of the area, I don't really know the specific roads straight to it."

"Thanks." Inuyasha said. The bartender grunted and walked away. Inuyasha finished his fish in record time, paying and leaving. He hailed a taxi and climbed inside.

"You do out of town trips?" He asked. The driver shook his head. Inuyasha reached into his pocket and dumped what bills he had left into the front seat. "How about now?" He asked. The driver grinned and turned down the street.

- - - - - - - - - -

Dusk had begun to set as Inuyasha halted the driver on the turn-off. He looked out the window. It was from a different angle than the postcard, but on the hill not too far away was the castle.

"See ya." Inuyasha said, grabbing his book bag and getting out. The driver waved and turned around, driving back into town as Inuyasha set off up the hill. Weeds and high grasses littered the broken area. This place _was_ out of the way by all means. Why the hell would Naraku come here? Inuyasha crested the hill and walked around the castle, looking for an entrance.

He found Naraku's car parked outside the gates, which somehow stood tall and intact despite the passage of time. The car was vacant, and Inuyasha peeked inside to spot the keys, but nothing else. Inuyasha opened the door and picked them up, tossing his book bag in the back and slamming the door. He looked at the castle gates and walked towards them. The inside of the castle was bare, with the same weeds and grass as the hill, although remnants of stone and wood indicated it must have been a grand place at some point centuries ago.

As the night fell and the last rays of sun vanished, the only light came from a single turret on the main wall. Inuyasha climbed a set of wooden stairs at one end and walked along a wooden catwalk all the way around the top of the wall. As he neared the lit tower, he put his hand up to the door and listened. Definite voices. Inuyasha slowly pushed the door open and walked inside.

The stone steps spiraled down, eventually to a wooden floor with the steps continuing down. On the floor stood Naraku before a small table, an oil lamp and a thermos lying on it. A briefcase and a can of gasoline lay on the floor. A series of papers and leather lay strewn about the briefcase, what Inuyasha guessed was all that remained of the final copy of the _Shikon-no-Tama_.

"12, 5, 13, 7, 2…" Naraku counted, laying out the sixteen engravings on the table. Inuyasha watched as he set each of them down in a set pattern, committing said pattern to memory. "9, 1, 5, 16." Naraku finished. "The enigma is solved at last." He laughed.

"To tread the paths of dread and know none, to play the greatest of games and win. Fear no noose, fire or water, let no sword cut, let no axe cleave, and let no arrow pierce. Give unto me the keys of knowledge and unlock the souls. Courage, love, wisdom and friendship, come to me and bestow on me the power…of Naobi." Naraku looked up with a grin, and spotted Inuyasha above him. "Mr. Taisho." He hissed.

"You expecting an apparition?" Inuyasha replied, walking down the stairs.

"Go, you are not needed anymore. You have done your job well but your work is done." Naraku said. "Your payment is at my office, ten times the promised amount."

"You killed for those, they're worth more than money." Inuyasha said, standing before him and nodding at the engravings.

"Infinitely more, entirely." Naraku agreed. "But they are mine, not yours. I've spent my entire life solving their riddle, and at last I have the answer. Leave."

"Not empty-handed." Inuyasha replied. Naraku chuckled.

"You know, despite our many differences…I like you, Inuyasha. I respect you."

"Really?"

"Yes. We have the same passion. I studying these books you've developed the same obsession with them as I have. Sadly, I will be the one seeing that passion through tonight." Inuyasha pulled the gun out of his book bag and pointed it at Naraku.

"Hand them over." He ordered. Naraku smirked.

"Don't be absurd, you're not a killer."

"You'd be surprised." Inuyasha replied. Naraku stepped forward, and Inuyasha stepped back. His foot slipped on a stay paper, and Naraku dove, grabbing the gun and tackling Inuyasha. The two fell to the floor, the rotting wood creaking under their weight. The floorboards snapped, and Inuyasha's leg fell through. Naraku jumped back and pointed the gun at his head. Inuyasha struggled to get up, but Naraku put a foot on his head and pushed him further down, up to his armpits.

"Seems you've found your place at last." Naraku sneered, stepping back. "Good for you." He tossed the gun aside and approached the table with the engravings. He opened the thermos and poured a light blue liquid into the lid, the liquid smoking slightly. "I'm taking a higher road, ascending to equality with God. You can't come with me." Naraku gulped the liquid down, grimacing slightly and tossing the device away. "But you can watch." He picked up the gasoline and began to pour a circle around himself, keeping the table outside the circle.

"That's very kind of you." Inuyasha snorted. Naraku either ignored or didn't notice the sarcasm as he finished the circle.

"It is. There are men who have been burned alive, or disemboweled for just a glimpse of what you are about to witness." Naraku kicked the briefcase aside, kneeling in the circle.

"I offer you my allegiance, master, I pledge myself to you, body and soul. Erase me from the book of life, write my name in the black book of death. Let me fear no noose, fire or water, grant me your supreme might and grant me access to the Four Souls of Naobi. Let it be so." Naraku stood up and held the oil lamp above his head. "Let it be so NOW!" Naraku roared the last word and flung the lamp down. It shattered at his feet, and the gasoline circle quickly caught flame. Inuyasha's eyes widened as Naraku was wreathed in flame.

"Oh my…" Naraku murmured, closing his eyes. "I can feel it, the power surging through me like an electric current. I'm incredible, I'm invulnerable, invincible." Naraku pulled a pocket knife out and ran the blade along his forearms. "I slice my skin, I feel no pain." He laughed, staring at the blood in wonder. He spun around and fell to his knees, running his hands through the fire. "Behold, I dip my hands in fire, I feel no heat." Inuyasha smirked.

"Nice trick Copperfield, how about another?" He snapped. Naraku came out of his power-hungry haze and glared at him, standing up and picked up the gasoline, lifting it above his head and pouring what was left down his body.

"I am invincible!" He crowed, raising his hands as flames began to climb his legs. Naraku laughed as his torso was cloaked in fire. "I feel nothing! Nothing at all!" He declared. He reached up to wipe his brow and let out a breath. "Heat, nothing more." He muttered. His eyes slowly widened, and Naraku looked down at himself. "H…heat?" He whispered. Realization dawned, and Naraku struggled for words in his horror.

"No, no." He gasped, trying to pat out the flames. The floorboards snapped, and Inuyasha fell to the dirt before. He coughed and rushed to the stairs up. "NO!" Naraku screamed, falling to his knees and trying to put out the flames. Inuyasha ignored him and grabbed the engravings from the table, blowing out a few that were beginning to catch fire and running to the stairs. "No, NOOOOO!" Naraku wailed. Inuyasha turned to stare at him and looked down. He reached down and picked up the gun, raising it to Naraku's back. "I'M INVINCIBLE!!!!!" Naraku protested. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and fired. Naraku's voice and body fell flat.

"Apparently not." He whispered.

- - - - - - - - - -

By the time Inuyasha walked out the castle gates, the fire had caught the wooden catwalk and begun to race along the castle walls. He pulled the door of Naraku's car open and climbed inside, shoving the engravings in his boom bag and tossing it in the back seat. He sat silently for the moment, the only sound of the castle succumbing to flame. Then the silence was broken.

Inuyasha's head whirled around as the passenger door opened, and Kagome climbed inside to sit next to him. Inuyasha stared at her as she smiled at, slowly raising a hand to trace a nail down his cheek. In the ethereal light of the fires, her blue eyes glowed brightly, but at this point Inuyasha wasn't entirely sure it was a trick of the lighting. Her hand fell to his collar bone, going back to grab the back of his neck.

Kagome closed her eyes and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his and knowing hungrily. Inuyasha waited for a moment and brought a hand up to tangle in her ebony hair. Kagome's tongue surged into his mouth, and the hand on his neck left to reach for the car door. The door swung open, and Kagome leaned further into him, all but pushing him to the grass.

- - - - - - - - - -

Naraku's car zoomed down the highway to town. Inuyasha kept his eyes on the road, but kept glancing aside at Kagome.

"Is this it? It over?" He asked.

"For Naraku, yes. And Kikyo and the others. Not for you." Kagome replied. Inuyasha nodded. Not once the entire morning had she brought up the engravings, or anything regarding Naraku's ritual.

"Why didn't it work for him?" Inuyasha continued. Kagome shrugged.

"One of the engravings was a fake." She explained. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.

"Where's the real one? I want it." He said. Kagome looked at the dashboard and smiled.

"You're low on gas." She said. Inuyasha nodded and turned into a gas station a few minutes later. He got out and filled the car up, the entire time expecting to turn and find Kagome gone. But instead she just sat in the car, staring blankly. It wasn't until Inuyasha went inside and paid that she vanished. But this time, she left something. Inuyasha grabbed the paper that had been stuck under the windshield wiper. It was one of the engravings, and had bright red marker across it.

Houshi.

- - - - - - - - - -

The alley was devoid of scaffolding this time, something Inuyasha welcomed. He pushed open the door to Miroku's book store, and groaned. The shelves were empty, and two workmen were unscrewing a shelf from the wall.

"Excuse me." Inuyasha called. The men turned. "Where's Miroku?"

"Dead." One of the men muttered. "He and his wife got murdered about a week ago." Inuyasha nodded, not entirely surprised.

"What about the books?" He asked.

"Sold or thrown out." The man replied. Inuyasha's shoulders slumped. "Back up, this is coming down." The workman said, putting a hand on the top of the shelf. Inuyasha nodded and backed up.

"Thanks anyway." He said. The men ignored him and tipped the shelf forward. Inuyasha turned to leave, and stopped. Underneath the dust on the top of the shelf, something fluttered to the ground at his feet. He picked it up and brushed it off, blowing away the thick dust.

It was an engraving, the same as the one Kagome had left for him. It depicted…Inuyasha's jaw dropped. The engraving was an ancient castle on a hill, and on the front ground prowled a large dog, snarling and glaring. Perched on the dog's back was a young woman with long hair, a book in her hands. Inuyasha didn't even need to ask what book she was holding.

- - - - - - - - - -

Naraku's car door opened, and Inuyasha stepped out. This time he wasn't at all surprised to see Kagome leaning against the castle gates. He neared and stopped, letting her walk up to him.

"I'd ask what you're doing here, but I know the answer. Besides, you never give me a straight answer anyway." He muttered. Kagome winked.

"Try again, you never know." She suggested. Inuyasha sighed.

"Who are you?" He asked. Kagome smiled, and Inuyasha knew. "Wrong question right?" He said. "Fair enough…" he was silent for a moment before asking again. "Who am I?" Kagome's smile widened, she put a hand on his shoulder for leverage, and pulled her lips up to his ear, whispering a single word.

"Worthy."

She stepped back and raised a hand, the castle gates creaking open. Inuyasha shouldered his book bag and walked inside, never once looking back. Kagome turned and watched him go, lowering her hand and closing the gates behind him.

**THE END**


End file.
